By FRANCO PANIZO
Alejandro Bedoya seems to really get up for matches against AS Monaco.
After delivering a strong performance at right wingback against the French heavyweights back in the fall, Bedoya found the back of the net playing in a central role in a 3-1 loss on Sunday. Bedoya scored a late consolation goal in the 78th minute, heading home a cross from the left. The goal was Bedoya’s fourth in league, fifth across all competitions and first since Dec. 6, 2013.
Two other U.S. Men’s National Team players got on the scoresheets in their respective clubs’ games this weekend. Danny Williams netted a spectacular game-winning strike in Reading’s 1-0 triumph over Charlton Athletic, a result that put the Royals five points clear of Nottingham Forest in the race for the final promotion playoff spot. Aron Johannsson scored and also had an assist in AZ Alkmaar’s 2-2 draw with Roda JC Kerkrade, but his performance was marred by a late miss in front of an open goal that surely wouldv have given AZ all three points.
Tim Howard had reason to celebrate, as he and Everton moved one step closer to competing in next season’s UEFA Champions League with a 3-0 win over Arsenal on Sunday. Howard made five saves in the game for the Toffees, who are now just one point shy of the Gunners’ fourth-place position and still have a game in hand.
It was not all good news this weekend, especially not for defenders. Oguchi Onyewu and Michael Orozco both suffered first-half knocks and were removed before halftime. Onyewu sustained a back muscle problem and was taken off during the break in Sheffield Wednesday’s 2-1 loss versus Leicester City. Orozco lasted just 22 minutes before being replaced in Puebla’s 0-0 draw with Atlas because of an apparent hamstring knock.
Here is how the Americans Abroad did this weekend:
ENGLAND
Premiership
- Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made five saves in Everton’s 3-0 win vs. Arsenal on Sunday.
- Jozy Altidore and Sunderland play Tottenham Hotspur on Monday.
- Geoff Cameron started and played 45 minutes in Stoke City’s 3-0 loss vs. Chelsea on Saturday.
- Brek Shea did not dress for Stoke City.
- Brad Guzan started, played 90 minutes and made six saves in Aston Villa’s 2-1 loss vs. Fulham on Saturday.
- Brad Friedel and Tottenham Hotspur play Sunderland on Monday.
- Cody Cropper dressed but did not play in Southampton’s 4-1 loss vs. Manchester City on Saturday.
- Sebastian Lletget did not dress in West Ham United’s 2-1 loss vs. Liverpool on Sunday.
CHAMPIONSHIP
- Oguchi Onyewu started and played 45 minutes in Sheffield Wednesday’s 2-1 loss vs. Leicester City on Friday.
- Danny Williams started, played 90 minutes, received a yellow card and scored a GOAL in Reading’s 1-0 win vs. Charlton Athletic on Saturday.
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- Duane Holmes came off the bench and played 14 minutes in Huddersfield Town’s 1-0 loss vs. Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.
- Jonathan Spector started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Birmingham City’s 3-1 win vs. Doncaster Rovers on Saturday.
- Will Packwood dressed but did not play for Birmingham City.
- Tim Ream started and played 90 minutes in Bolton Wanderers’ 1-0 win vs. Huddersfield Town on Saturday.
- Stuart Holden did not dress for Bolton. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- Eric Lichaj did not dress in Nottingham Forest’s 2-1 loss vs. Millwall on Saturday. He is recovering from a groin injury.
- Zak Whitbread dressed but did not play in Derby County’s 1-0 loss vs. Middlesbrough on Saturday.
League One
- Gboly Ariyibi dressed but did not play in Tranmere Rovers’ 2-1 win vs. Colchester United on Saturday.
GERMANY
Bundesliga
- Fabian Johnson started and played 90 minutes in TSG 1899 Hoffenheim’s 1-1 draw vs. Hertha Berlin on Sunday.
- John Brooks started, played 62 minutes and received a yellow card in Hertha Berlin’s 1-1 draw vs. TSG 1899 Hoffenheim on Sunday.
- Timmy Chandler did not dress in FC Nurberg’s 2-0 loss vs. Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- David Yelldell did not dress in Bayer Leverkusen’s 2-1 loss vs. Hamburg SV on Friday.
Bundesliga 2
- Alfredo Morales and FC Ingolstadt 04 play SpVgg Greuther Furth on Monday.
- Bobby Wood dressed but did not play in TSV 1860 Munich’s 3-0 loss vs. Karlsruhe on Sunday.
- Andrew Wooten started and played 90 minutes in FSV Frankfurt’s 2-1 loss vs. VfR Aalen on Friday.
FRANCE
- Alejandro Bedoya started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL in FC Nantes’ 3-1 loss vs. AS Monaco on Sunday.
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NETHERLANDS
- Aron Johannsson started, played 90 minutes, had an ASSIST and scored a GOAL in AZ Alkmaar’s 2-2 draw vs. Roda JC Kerkrade on Sunday.
- Juan Agudelo came off the bench and played 45 minutes in FC Utrecht’s 4-1 loss vs. ADO Den Haag on Sunday.
TURKEY
- Jermaine Jones started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Besiktas’ 2-1 win vs. Kayserispor on Saturday.
BELGIUM
- Sacha Kljestan came off the bench and played 13 minutes in RSC Anderlecht’s 3-0 win vs. Club Brugge in the Pro League playoff.
DENMARK
- Conor O’Brien dressed but did not play in Odense BK’s 2-2 draw vs. Viborg FF on Sunday.
- Babajide Ogunbiyi dressed but did not play in Viborg FF’s 2-2 draw vs. Odense BK on Sunday.
NORWAY
- Mix Diskerud dressed but did not play in Rosenborg BK’s 1-1 draw vs. Aalesund on Saturday.
- Ethan Horvath dressed but did not play in Molde FK’s 2-1 loss vs. Odd on Saturday.
- Josh Gatt did not dress for Molde FK. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- Zarek Valentin started and played 90 minutes in FK Bodo/Glimt’s 3-1 loss vs. Valerenga on Sunday.
- Michael Stephens started, played 71 minutes and received a yellow card in Stabaek IF’s 2-1 win vs. SK Brann on Sunday.
AUSTRIA
- Terrence Boyd did not dress in Rapid Vienna’s 1-0 win vs. Austria Vienna on Sunday. He was suspended due to yellow card accumulation.
MEXICO
- DaMarcus Beasley started and played 90 minutes in Puebla’s 0-0 draw vs. Atlas on Saturday.
- Michael Orozco started and played 22 minutes for Puebla.
- Jose Torres started, played 87 minutes and received a RED CARD in Tigres UANL’s 2-0 win vs. Atlante on Sunday.
- Jonathan Bornstein dressed but did not play in Atlante’s 2-0 loss vs. Tigres UANL on Sunday.
- Edgar Castillo started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Club Tijuana’s 3-1 win vs. Toluca on Friday.
- Joe Corona started and played 83 minutes for Club Tijuana.
- Greg Garza came off the bench and played one minute card for Club Tijuana.
- Herculez Gomez dressed but did not play for Club Tijuana.
- Paul Arriola did not dress for Club Tijuana.
- Alejandro Guido did not dress for Club Tijuana.
- Fernando Arce Jr did not dress for Club Tijuana.
- Joaquin Alonso Hernandez did not dress in Monterrey’s 2-2 draw vs. Santos Laguna on Saturday.
- Gabriel Farfan did not dress in Jaguares de Chiapas’ 2-1 loss vs. Pumas UNAM on Sunday.
- Michael Farfan did not dress in Cruz Azul’s 2-1 win vs. Club America on Saturday.
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What do you think of these performances? Like Bedoya’s chances of making it to Brazil this summer? Impressed with Howard and Everton’s win over Arsenal?
Share your thoughts below.