By FRANCO PANIZO
You may not want to count out Oguchi Onyewu from making the U.S. Men’s National Team’s World Cup roster just yet.
A week after signing for Sheffield Wednesday, Onyewu made his debut for the Owls in a 1-1 draw with Burnley on Saturday and played a part in extending their unbeaten streak to five games. The veteran centerback headed down a free kick that helped set up Sheffield’s equalizer just before halftime and also went the distance in his first club outing since a substitute appearance for Malaga back in May. The performance surely injected some confidence in Onyewu, who is looking to make a late push for a spot on the U.S. roster that will head to Brazil this summer.
On the offensive side, Aron Johannsson was the lone goal-scorer this weekend. Johannsson netted an insurance goal in AZ Alkmaar’s 3-0 victory over NAC Breda, giving him 12 league goals on the season and 19 across all competitions. He is now 12 behind Jozy Altidore’s record for goals scored by an American in foreign league.
Other notable matches involving Americans Abroad were Reading’s 7-1 mauling of Bolton Wanderers and Tijuana’s 2-1 loss to Pachuca. Danny Williams played all 90 minutes for the Royals while Tim Ream did the same for the underwhelming and embarrassed Trotters, and all five of the Mexican-Americans on Xolos’ game-day roster received playing time in their third fixture of the Clausura campaign.
Here is how the Americans Abroad did this weekend:
ENGLAND
Premiership
- Tim Howard and Everton play West Bromwich Albon on Monday.
- Clint Dempsey started and played 90 minutes in Fulham’s 2-0 loss vs. Arsenal on Saturday.
- Jozy Altidore started and played 72 minutes in Sunderland’s 2-2 draw vs. Southampton on Saturday.
- Geoff Cameron started and played 90 minutes in Stoke City’s 1-0 loss vs. Crystal Palace on Saturday.
- Maurice Edu did not dress for Stoke City.
- Brad Guzan started, played 90 minutes and made four saves in Aston Villa’s 2-2 draw vs. Liverpool on Saturday.
- Brad Friedel dressed but did not play in Tottenham Hotspur’s 3-1 win vs. Swansea City on Saturday.
- Cody Cropper did not dress in Southampton’s 2-2 draw vs. Sunderland on Saturday.
- Sebastian Lletget did not dress in West Ham United’s 3-1 loss vs. Newcastle United on Saturday.
Championship
- Jonathan Spector did not dress in Birmingham City’s 2-0 loss vs. Yeovil Town on Saturday. He is recovering from an injury.
- Will Packwood dressed but did not play for Birmingham City.
- Tim Ream started and played 90 minutes in Bolton Wanderers’ 7-1 loss vs. Reading on Saturday.
- Stuart Holden did not dress for Bolton Wanderers. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- Zak Whitbread dressed but did not play in Derby County’s 1-0 win vs. Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
- Eric Lichaj did not dress in Nottingham Forest’s 4-1 win vs. Blackburn Rovers on Saturday. He is recovering from an injury.
- Danny Williams started and played 90 minutes in Reading’s 7-1 win vs. Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.
- Brek Shea started and played 77 minutes in Barnsley’s 2-0 win vs. Blackpool on Saturday.
- Oguchi Onyewu started, played 90 minutes and helped set up a goal in Sheffield Wednesday’s 1-1 draw vs. Burnley on Saturday.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y13RsciUwTQ?feature=player_embedded]
- Duane Holmes dressed but did not play in Huddersfield Town’s 2-1 loss vs. Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.
- Gboly Ariyibi did not dress in Leeds United’s 1-0 loss vs. Leicester City on Saturday.
FRANCE
- Alejandro Bedoya came off the bench and played 60 minutes in FC Nantes’ 5-0 loss vs. Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday.
NETHERLANDS
- Aron Johannsson started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL in AZ Alkmaar’s 3-0 win vs. NAC Breda on Saturday.
BELGIUM
- Sacha Kljestan came off the bench and played 45 minutes in RSC Anderlecht’s 2-1 loss vs. KV Mechelen on Sunday.
MEXICO
- Michael Orozco started and played 90 minutes in Puebla’s 0-0 draw vs. Santos Laguna on Friday.
- DaMarcus Beasley started and played 65 minutes for Puebla.
- Jose Torres came off the bench and played 33 minutes in Tigres UANL’s 2-0 loss vs. Morelia on Friday.
- Jonathan Bornstein did not dress in Atlante’s 1-0 win vs. Atlas on Saturday.
- Herculez Gomez started and played 90 minutes in Club Tijuana’s 2-1 loss vs. Pachuca on Saturday.
- Edgar Castillo started and played 82 minutes for Club Tijuana.
- Greg Garza came off the bench and played 27 minutes for Club Tijuana.
- Joe Corona came off the bench and played 14 minutes for Club Tijuana.
- Paul Arriola came off the bench and played eight minutes for Club Tijuana.
- Joaquin Alonso Hernandez did not dress in Monterrey’s 3-1 win vs. Queretaro on Saturday.
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What do you think of these performances? Do you see Onyewu earn steady minutes with the Owls and making it onto the U.S.’s World Cup roster? Think Johannsson tops Altidore’s goal-scoring record this season?
Share your thoughts below.