Photo by Matt West/ISIphotos.com
By FRANCO PANIZO
Don’t look now, but Jozy Altidore and Sunderland are out of the relegation zone.
Finally.
The Black Cats jumped into safety on Wednesday by picking up a 1-0 victory at home over Stoke City, a result which gave Sunderland their sixth win in their last seven matches across all competitions (the match they lost was to Manchester United, but the Black Cats won the series on the ensuing penalty kicks). Altidore did not end his scoreless drought in that match against fellow U.S. Men’s National Team player Geoff Cameron and the rest of the Potters, but contributed to Sunderland’s cause with a 67-minute performance that saw the veteran forward draw a red card to Stoke’s Steven N’Zonzi.
The good result for Sunderland was bad for another club that currently employs an American. Clint Dempsey’s Fulham fell to 19th place after suffering a 2-0 defeat to Swansea City on Tuesday. Dempsey started and played 71 minutes in the match.
It probably felt even worse for Tim Ream after Bolton Wanderers’ match vs. Queens Park Rangers. Not only did the Trotters suffer a 2-1 defeat, but Ream was removed from the match at the five-minute mark after suffering an injury 15 seconds after the opening whistle. It was deemed after the match that Ream had a broken nose and he also needed stitches.
Here is how the Americans Abroad performed during the midweek action:
ENGLAND
Premiership
- Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made five saves in Everton’s 4-0 loss vs. Liverpool on Tuesday.
- Clint Dempsey started and played 71 minutes in Fulham’s 2-0 loss vs. Swansea City on Tuesday.
- Jozy Altidore started and played 67 minutes in Sunderland’s 1-0 win vs. Stoke City on Wednesday.
- Geoff Cameron started and played 90 minutes in Stoke City’s 1-0 loss vs. Sunderland on Wednesday.
- Brad Guzan started, played 90 minutes and made two saves in Aston Villa’s 4-3 win vs. West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday.
- Brad Friedel dressed but did not play in Tottenham Hotspur’s 5-1 loss vs. Manchester City on Wednesday.
- Cody Cropper did not dress in Southampton’s 2-2 draw vs. Arsenal on Tuesday.
- Sebastian Lletget did not dress in West Ham United’s 0-0 draw vs. Chelsea on Wednesday.
Championship
- Zak Whitbread dressed but did not play in Derby County’s 2-2 draw vs. Yeovil Town on Tuesday.
- Danny Williams started and played 90 minutes in Reading’s 5-1 win vs. Blackpool on Tuesday.
- Will Packwood started and played 90 minutes in Birmingham City’s 2-1 loss vs. Leicester City on Tuesday.
- Jonathan Spector did not dress for Birmingham City. He is recovering from an injury.
- Tim Ream started and played five minutes in Bolton Wanderers’ 2-1 loss vs. Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday.
- Stuart Holden did not dress for Bolton Wanderers. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- Eric Lichaj started and played 90 minutes in Nottingham Forest’s 4-2 win vs. Watford on Thursday.
- Brek Shea started and played 90 minutes in Barnsley’s 2-2 draw vs. Blackburn Rovers on Tuesday.
- Oguchi Onyewu started and played 90 minutes in Sheffield Wednesday’s 1-1 draw vs. Millwall on Tuesday.
- Duane Holmes dressed but did not play in Huddersfield Town’s 2-1 loss vs. AFC Bournemouth on Tuesday.
- Gboly Ariyibi did not dress in Leeds United’s 1-1 draw vs. Ipswich Town on Tuesday.
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What do you think of these performances? Do you see Altidore and Sunderland staying out of the relegation zone? Think Dempsey can help Fulham get back to safety before he returns to MLS?
Share your thoughts below.