Photo by Joe Toth/ISIphotos.com
By FRANCO PANIZO
It was another disappointing day for struggling Sunderland, but there was a bit of good news from an Americans Abroad perspective.
Jozy Altidore got the nod for the Black Cats in Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat to Liverpool, and the U.S. Men’s National Team striker went the distance despite seeing his scoring drought extend to 15 games. Altidore has now played the full 90 minutes in each of Sunderland’s last two games and three of the last five, which seems to indicate that his standing within the club is better than it was a few weeks back.
Another player who played the entirety of his team’s match on Wednesday was Fabian Johnson. The 26-year-old Johnson got his latest in a string of starts at right back for Hoffenheim, and helped the club post a 3-1 triumph over Hannover.
A negative development came, however, in Rapid Vienna’s 3-0 victory vs. FC Magna Wr. Neustadt. Terrence Boyd was left on the bench in the match, though an explanation might be that he started and went the distance in last Saturday’s victory over Wolfsberger AC. Boyd had started each of the previous four matches.
Here is how the Americans Abroad performed on Wednesday:
ENGLAND
Premiership
- Jozy Altidore started and played 90 minutes in Sunderland’s 2-1 loss vs. Liverpool.
- Sebastian Lletget did not dress in West Ham United’s 2-1 win vs. Hull City.
GERMANY
Bundesliga
- Fabian Johnson started and played 90 minutes in TSG 1899 Hoffenheim’s 3-1 win vs. Hannover 96.
- David Yelldell did not dress in Bayer Leverkusen’s 3-1 win vs. FC Augsburg.
- Timmy Chandler did not dress in FC Nurnberg’s 2-0 win vs. VfB Stuttgart. He is recovering from a knee injury.
2. Bundesliga
- Bobby Wood came off the bench and played four minutes in TSV 1860 Munich’s 2-1 win vs. Energie Cottbus.
- Andrew Wooten came off the bench and played nine minutes in FSV Frankfurt’s 2-1 loss vs. FC Erzgebirge Aue.
AUSTRIA
- Terrence Boyd dressed but did not play in Rapid Vienna’s 3-0 win vs. FC Magna Wr. Neustadt.
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What do you think of these performances? Happy to see Altidore getting a consistent dose of heavy minutes despite he and Sunderland’s struggles? Starting to see Johnson as a legitimate option at right back for the USMNT?
Share your thoughts below.