By FRANCO PANIZO
Aron Johannsson could not have asked for a much better birthday.
Johannsson celebrated turning 23 in style on Sunday by adding to his impressive goal-scoring output for the season with a brace in AZ Alkmaar’s 2-2 draw vs. Feyenoord Rotterdam. Johannsson opened the scoring with a cool one-timed finish in the first half and converted an equalizing penalty kick in the 57th minute after AZ conceded twice in the opening moments of the second stanza. The U.S. Men’s National Team striker’s birthday brace gives him nine leagues goals and 14 across all competitions this season.
Fabian Johnson did not find the back of the net or celebrate a birthday, but he did make his much-anticipated return from a calf injury. Johnson came off the bench and played the second half of Hoffenheim’s 3-2 loss vs. Hertha Berlin on Saturday, snapping a run of four games of inactivity. The versatile Johnson last played in a draw vs. Schalke on Sept. 28.
More good news came out of England this weekend. Tim Ream continued his solid season with Bolton Wanderers by delivering a game-winning assist in a 3-1 victory over Millwall on Saturday and Brad Friedel made a rare start in goal for Tottenham in a 1-0 defeat to Newcastle United on Sunday.
Here is how the Americans Abroad performed this weekend:
Premiership
- Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made two saves in Everton’s 0-0 draw vs. Crystal Palace on Saturday.
- Jozy Altidore came off the bench and played 13 minutes in Sunderland’s 1-0 win vs. Manchester City on Sunday.
- Geoff Cameron started and played 90 minutes in Stoke City’s 3-3 draw vs. Swansea City on Sunday.
- Maurice Edu did not dress for Stoke City.
- Brek Shea did not dress for Stoke City.
- Brad Guzan started, played 90 minutes and made two saves in Aston Villa’s 2-0 win vs. Cardiff City on Saturday.
- Brad Friedel started, played 90 minutes and made three saves in Tottenham Hotspur’s 1-0 loss vs. Newcastle United on Sunday.
Championship
- Jonathan Spector did not dress in Birmingham City’s 3-1 win vs. Huddersfield Town on Saturday. He is recovering from a thigh injury.
- Tim Ream started, played 90 minutes and had an ASSIST in Bolton Wanderers’ 3-1 win vs. Millwall on Saturday.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8GIJyhrc3Q?feature=player_embedded]
- Stuart Holden did not dress for Bolton Wanderers. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- Zak Whitbread did not dress in Derby County’s 3-0 win vs. Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday. He is recovering from a calf injury.
- Eric Lichaj came off the bench and played 15 minutes in Nottingham Forest’s 2-0 win vs. Leicester City on Saturday.
- Danny Williams did not dress in Reading’s 1-1 draw vs. Queens Park Rangers on Saturday. He is recovering from a foot injury.
- Oguchi Onyewu dressed but did not play in Queens Park Rangers’ 1-1 draw vs. Reading on Saturday.
- Duane Holmes dressed but did not play in Huddersfield Town’s 3-1 loss vs. Birmingham City on Saturday.
ITALY
- Michael Bradley came off the bench and played 57 minutes in AS Roma’s 1-1 draw vs. Sassuolo on Sunday.
GERMANY
Bundesliga
- Fabian Johnson came off the bench and played 45 minutes in TSG 1899 Hoffenheim’s 3-2 loss vs. Hertha Berlin on Saturday.
- Joe Gyau did not dress for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
- Timmy Chandler started and played 90 minutes in FC Nurnberg’s 3-1 loss vs. Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday.
- Michael Parkhurst did not dress in FC Augsburg’s 3-0 loss vs. Bayern Munich on Saturday.
- Jermaine Jones started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Schalke 04’s 3-1 win vs. Werder Bremen on Saturday.
- Steve Cherundolo dressed but did not play in Hannover 96′s 0-0 draw vs. TSV Eintracht Braunschweig on Friday.
- John Brooks dressed but did not play in Hertha Berlin’s 3-2 win vs. TSG 1899 Hoffenheim on Saturday.
2. Bundesliga
- Alfredo Morales started and played 90 minutes in FC Ingolstadt 04’s 2-0 win vs. VfR Aalen on Friday.
- Andrew Wooten did not dress in Kaiserslautern’s 4-0 win vs. FSV Frankfurt on Friday.
- Bobby Wood came off the bench, played 18 minutes and received a yellow card in TSV 1860 Munich’s 1-0 win vs. Arminia Bielefeld on Saturday.
FRANCE
- Alejandro Bedoya started and played 90 minutes in FC Nantes’ 3-0 win vs. Bordeaux on Sunday.
NETHERLANDS
- Aron Johannsson started, played 89 minutes, received a yellow card and scored TWO GOALS in AZ Alkmaar’s 2-2 draw vs. Feyenoord Rotterdam on Sunday.
RUSSIA
- Eugene Starikov did not dress in FK Tom’ Tomsk’s 2-0 win vs. Lokomotiv Moscow on Saturday.
BELGIUM
DENMARK
- Conor O’Brien started and played 90 minutes in Odense BK’s 3-1 loss vs. FC Vestsjaelland on Sunday.
- Babajide Ogunbiyi started and played 90 minutes in Viborg FF’s 3-2 loss vs. FC Midtjylland on Friday.
- Mike Grella did not dress for Viborg FF.
AUSTRIA
- Terrence Boyd started and played 74 minutes in Rapid Vienna’s 2-2 draw vs. SV Grodig on Saturday.
NORWAY
- Mix Diskerud started and played 90 minutes in Rosenborg BK’s 3-0 win vs. Lillestrom on Sunday.
- Josh Gatt did not dress in Molde FK’s 1-0 loss vs. IK Start on Sunday. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- Ben Spencer came off the bench and played 17 minutes for Molde FK.
- Ethan Horvath did not dress for Molde FK .
- Steve Clark started, played 90 minutes and scored an own goal in Honefoss BK’s 3-2 loss vs. Odd on Sunday.
MEXICO
- Michael Orozco started and played 90 minutes in Puebla’s 1-0 loss vs. Morelia on Saturday.
- DaMarcus Beasley started and played 90 minutes for Puebla.
- Jose Torres came off the bench and played 13 minutes in Tigres UANL’s 1-0 win vs. Atlas on Saturday.
- Jonathan Bornstein did not dress for Tigres UANL.
- Edgar Castillo started and played 90 minutes in Club Tijuana’s 5-0 loss vs. Club Leon on Saturday.
- Paul Arriola came off the bench and played 36 minutes for Club Tijuana.
- Herculez Gomez dressed but did not play for Club Tijuana.
- Greg Garza dressed but did not play for Club Tijuana.
- Joe Corona did not dress for Club Tijuana.
- Joaquin Alonso Hernandez dressed but did not play in Monterrey’s 2-1 win vs. Chivas de Guadalajara on Saturday.
BRAZIL
- Freddy Adu did not dress in Bahia’s 0-0 draw vs. Atletico MG on Saturday.
—–
What do you think of these performances? Eager to see the in-form Johannsson play in these upcoming USMNT friendlies? Think Johnson will help Hoffenheim go on a bit of a run now that he is back and healthy?
Share your thoughts below.