Americans Abroad: Beasley, Onyewu, Buddle and Altidore all excel for their foreign clubs.

Beasley, Onyewu, Buddle and Altidore all excel for their foreign clubs.

By Robert Wagman (in Washington, D.C.)
SoccerTimes

(Tuesday, September 20, 2011) -- United States midfielder DaMarcus Beasley, defender Oguchi Onyewu, and strikers Edson Buddle and Jozy Altidore all made major contributions to their foreign clubs last week, while U.S. midfielder Michael Bradley made his debut in Italy’s Serie A, the first American to play in that league in more than a decade.

Beasley’s contributions to Puebla of Mexico in its 4-1 victory over Chivas de Guadalajara was odd, to say the least. Two Chivas players were red-carded after different fouls on Beasley, one of which resulted in a successful penalty kick and Puebla had little trouble winning with its two-man advantage.

Beasley drew the first of those fouls when he was taken down from behind in the penalty area by Jonny Magallon as he had gone around the goalkkeeper and was about to score into an almost empty net. The second of those fouls against Beasley came late in the second half by defender Kristian Alvarez.

Beasley played 90 minutes and he is now an established starter for Puebla.

In Portugal, Onyewu has become a starter for Sporting Lisbon and he scored his first goal for his new team last night in a 3-2 decision over Rio Ave. He ran into the box and blasted home a 74th-minute header off a corner kick with what proved to be the game-winner.

On Thursday he went the distance in Sporting’s 2-0 road win at FC Zurich of Switzerland in Europa League play. Buddle who has played well for FC Ingolstadt in Germany’s second-division 2. Bundesliga had a pair of goals in a 4-2 triumph Saturday over Dynamo Dresden.

Altidore continued his goal-scoring streak for AZ Alkmaar of the Netherlands. On Thursday, in Alkmaar’s Europa League group-play opener, Altidore scored a long range goal in a 4-1 victory over Malmo. In the 21st minute, he controlled a pass, turned on a defender and sent a bullet into the upper right corner from about 25 yards out. On Sunday, he played the first 58 minutes of a 2-1 Eredeivisie triumph over RKC Waalwijk.

In Italy on Sunday, Bradley made his debut for Chievo Verona, coming off the bench in the 72nd minute of a 2-1 loss to Parma.

In the English Premier League,

U.S. midfielder Stuart Holden is back. He played his first match with Bolton Wanderers' first team since his knee injury and surgery last March. Tonight, he started and went 90 minutes in a 2-0 triumph over Aston Villa in the third round of the Carling Cup.

Last week he played in a reserve match.

U.S. goalkeeper Brad Friedel continued his record for most consecutive league starts by keeping a clean sheet Sunday for Tottenham Hotspur in a 4-0 whitewash of Liverpool.

U.S. midfielder Clint Dempsey contributed an assist to Fulham, which took a point from red-hot Manchester City Sunday in a 2-2 draw on Sunday. On Thursday, he went 90 minutes in Fulham’s 1-1 draw with Twente of the Netherlands in the Europa League.

U.S. keeper Tim Howard had a solid match for Everton in its 3-1 win Saturday over Wigan Athletic.

American Brad Guzan was again Aston Villa's backup keeper on Saturday in a 1-1 draw with Newcastle United. U.S. defender Eric Lichaj was out for Villa with a bad hip.

American defender Zak Whitbread is out with a hamstring injury for Norwich City, a 2-1 winner Saturday over Bolton.

In the second-division English League Championship, U.S. defender Jonathan Spector is back from injury started and played 74 minutes and was issued a yellow card for Birmingham City Sunday in its 4-1 loss to Southamptonon.

His first start was Thursday when he went the distance in a 3-1 loss to Braga in the Europa League.

U.S. forward Robbie Findley played the final half hour for Nottingham Forest in a 2-1 loss Saturday to Derby County.

Tonight, Findley scored his third goal in Carling Cup competition and fourth overall this season, but it was not enough for Forest, which fell 4-3 to Newcastle United on an 120th-minute goal.

Irish-American striker Conor Doyle did not dress for Derby County.

In third-division League One, American midfielder Anton Peterlin played 64 minutes Saturday for Walsall in its 2-2 draw with Scunthorpe United.

American forward Mike Grella played the final 31 minutes for Brentford in its 3-1 loss Saturday to Preston North End.

American defender Frank Simek is out with a long-term hip injury and unavailable to Carlisle United, a 4-1 loser to Chesterfield on Saturday.

In Scotland, U.S. defender Carlos Bocanegra experienced his first Old Firm match when he and U.S. midfielder Maurice Edu went 90 minutes for Glasgow Rangers in a 4-2 defeat of arch-rivals Glasgow Celtic on Sunday.

American midfielder Alejandro Bedoya, out with a calf injury, was not available to Rangers.

In the German Bundesliga, American defender Timmy Chandler went the distance for 1. FC Nürnberg Saturday in a 1-1 draw with Werder Bremen.

Despite playing for the U.S. in two recent friendlies, rumors swirl that the German-born Chandler is still considering playing internationally for Germany. Reportedly, German national-team coach Joachim Loew was in Nürnberg to watch him play and to meet with him.

American defender Daniel Williams played the final four minutes for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in a 3-1 victory over VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday.

German-American defender-midfielder Fabian Johnson is out with a neck injury and unavailable to Hoffenheim.

U.S. defender Steve Cherundolo dressed, but did not play for Hannover 96 in its 2-1 win Sunday over Borussia Dortmund. He was rested after playing 90 minutes in a 0-0 Europa League draw with Standard de Liège of Belgium on Thursday.

German-American midfielder Jermaine Jones is on the roster, but not playing for Schalke 04, which lost 2-0 Sunday to Bayern Munich.

American David Yelldell was the backup keeper for Bayer Leverkusen in its 4-1 loss Saturday to FC Cologne.

American midfielder Alfredo Morales did not dress for Hertha Berlin in a 2-2 draw Saturday with FC Augsburg.

In the 2. Bundesliga, keeper Luis Robles was the backup for Karlsruher SC in a 2-0 last night to St Pauli.

American striker Matt Taylor dressed, but did not play in for Paderborn 07 in a 4-0 victory Sunday over VfL Bochum. On Sunday, U.S. midfielder Ricardo Clark did not dress for Eintracht Frankfurt's 4-1 triumph over Hansa Rostock. Similarly, American forward Bobby Wood was on the sidelines for TSV 1860 Munich's 4-0 win over FSV Frankfurt.

In Belgium, U.S. midfielder Sacha Kljestan went 90 minutes Sunday for RSC Anderlecht's 1-0 triumph over KAA Gent. On Thursday, he went the distance in a 4-1 decision over AEK Athens in the Europa League.

In Sweden, American defender-midfielder Ryan Miller went 90 minutes for Halmstads BK in its 1-0 loss Saturday to Kalmar FF.

American striker Samuel Petrone did not dress for Mjallby AIF in a 3-0 loss Sunday to Helsingborg.

In Denmark, American defender Michael Parkhurst went 90 minutes and received a yellow card Sunday for FC Nordsjælland in a 2-0 victory over Brøndby IF. American defender Clarence Goodson also went the distance and received a yellow card for Brøndby.

U.S. striker Chris Rolfe played 64 minutes for Aalborg BK in its 2-0 loss to FC Copenhagen on Sunday. American midfielder Marcus Tracy was out with a knee ailment and unavailable to Aalborg.

American midfielder Conor O'Brien played 75 minutes Sunday for SønderjyskE in a 2-0 loss to FC Midtjylland.

American defender Brad Rusin did not dress for HB Køge, a 2-0 loer Saturday to AGF Aarhus.

In Norway, American midfielder Mikkel Diskerud played 90 minutes for Stabæk IF's in its 3-1 loss Sunday to Odd Grenland.

American defender Josh Gatt played 90 minutes Sunday for Molde FK, which edged Fredrikstad 1-0. American defender Sean Cunningham did not dress for Molde.

In Mexico, American defender-midfielder Michael Orozco Fiscal went 90 minutes, receiving a yellow card, for San Luis in its 1-0 loss to Santos Laguna on Saturday.

U.S. midfielder Jose Torres went the distance for Pachuca in a 4-2 win Saturday over Atlas.

American forward Herculez Gomez played the final 21 minutes and scored an insurance goal for Estudiantes Tecos in a 2-0 victory Sunday over Tijuana.

U.S. defender Jonathan Bornstein did not dress for Tigres UANL in its 1-0 loss to Atlante on Saturday.

Robert Wagman is SoccerTimes senior correspondent.

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