Dempsey enters Fulham record books, more Americans Abroad

He scores with his left He scores with his right That boy Clint Dempsey Makes Drogba look ...

You know how the rest of the Craven Cottage chant goes.

And while Clint Dempsey hasn't made Didier Drogba look inferior by any stretch, he has as many league goals as the Chelsea star does this season and has etched his name in the Fulham record books yet again.

With his brace against Bolton last Wednesday, Dempsey became Fulham's all-time leading goal scorer in the Premier League era. His 33 (and counting) goals bested current Sunderland midfielder Steed Malbranque and retired American Brian McBride, who each tallied 32 times in the Premier League for the Cottagers.

Dempsey, who broke McBride's record for goals by an American in a Premier League season earlier this spring, has 12 tallies to his name and is tied for eighth in the league in that statistic with three games remaining.

As has been the case most of the season, Dempsey delivered the goals to Fulham when it needed them most. The club has been riding the Premier League table roller coaster, going from mid-table to drop-zone range and back for much of its campaign. While attempting to stave off relegation once and for all and breathe easier over the final weeks of the season, Fulham turned to its No. 23.

"He's been really important for us," Fulham manager Mark Hughes told FulhamFC.com. "Certainly in the first part of the season we were struggling. I didn't feel we had the quality we needed [up front] -- we had guys coming back, and I was playing Clint up there on his own and he still had an impact. If he didn't score then he'd create things for someone else."

Sporting a clean-shaven look, Dempsey went to two finesse moves in his arsenal to take matters into his own hands against Bolton. First he hit a scissor-kick side volley off a cross following a set piece, a goal that demonstrated exquisite technique and may have been his top strike of the season.

A few minutes into the second half, Dempsey latched onto a flicked-on ball from Eidur Gudjohnson and deftly touched it home inside the 6-yard box for the record breaker.

"I was starting to get the itch a little and feel the pressure to perform, so it was good that I was able to do that and help be a part of the team's success in getting the three points to get us into the top half of the table," Dempsey said on the team's website.

Those three points helped clinch Fulham's place in the 2011-2012 Premier League. The Cottagers will be joined by Norwich City and American center back Zak Whitbread, who sealed their promotion from the League Championship with a victory over Portsmouth on Monday. The Canaries have been promoted in consecutive seasons -- from League One in 2010 to Premier League in 2011 -- becoming the first team to accomplish that feat since Manchester City in 2000.

In addition to the exploits of Dempsey and Whitbread, Freddy Adu found the net again to highlight the week that was for Americans playing abroad (statistics encompass all competitions):

Premier League

Michael Bradley, M, Aston Villa -- In the 18, did not play in Villa's 2-1 loss to West Brom on Saturday. SEASON: 24 games, 21 starts, 4 goals

Clint Dempsey, M/F, Fulham -- Started, played 90 minutes and scored two goals in Fulham's 3-0 victory over Bolton on Wednesday. Dempsey hit a tremendous side volley from inside the area in the 15th minute before touching home a flicked-on ball inside the 6-yard box to double the Cottagers' lead. Dempsey was not in the 18 for Fulham's 3-0 victory over Sunderland on Saturday. SEASON: 39 games, 36 starts, 13 goals

Brad Friedel, GK, Aston Villa -- Started, played 90 minutes and made two saves in Villa's 2-1 loss to West Brom on Saturday. SEASON: 39 games, 39 starts, 124 saves, 60 goals allowed, 6 clean sheets

Brad Guzan, GK, Aston Villa -- Not in the 18 for Villa's 2-1 loss to West Brom on Saturday. SEASON: 19 games, 19 starts, 96 saves, 19 goals allowed, 5 clean sheets

Marcus Hahnemann, GK, Wolverhampton -- In the 18, did not play in Wolves' 3-0 loss to Stoke City on Tuesday. Hahnemann was also in the 18 and did not play in Wolves' 1-1 draw with Birmingham on Sunday. SEASON: 17 games, 17 starts, 59 saves, 28 goals allowed, 1 clean sheet

Tim Howard, GK, Everton -- Started, played 90 minutes and made seven saves in Everton's 1-1 draw with Wigan Athletic on Saturday. SEASON: 39 games, 39 starts, 112 saves, 47 goals allowed, 8 clean sheets

Jermaine Jones, M, Blackburn -- Started, played 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card in Blackburn's 1-0 victory over Bolton on Saturday. SEASON: 28 games, 27 starts, 1 goal

Jonathan Spector, M/D, West Ham -- Started, played 90 minutes in West Ham's 2-1 loss to Manchester City on Sunday. SEASON: 19 games, 13 starts, 4 goals

Championship

Conor Doyle, F, Derby County -- In the 18, came on as a 77th-minute substitute in Derby County's 2-0 loss to Bristol City on Saturday. SEASON: 14 games, 5 starts

Robbie Findley, F, Nottingham Forest -- Not in the 18 for Nottingham Forest's 5-1 victory over Scunthorpe United on Saturday. SEASON: 2 games

Mike Grella, F, Leeds United -- Not in the 18 for Leeds' 1-0 victory over Burnley on Saturday. SEASON: 19 games, 13 starts, 4 goals

Eddie Johnson, F, Preston North End -- Not in the 18 for Preston North End's 2-1 loss to Ipswich Town on Saturday. SEASON: 27 games, 15 starts

Eric Lichaj, D, Leeds United -- Started, played 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card in Leeds' 1-0 victory over Burnley on Saturday. SEASON: 23 games, 21 starts

Zak Whitbread, D, Norwich City -- Started, played 90 minutes Norwich City's 1-0 victory over Portsmouth on Monday. The Canaries are guaranteed promotion to the Premier League next season. SEASON: 22 games, 20 starts, 1 goal

League One

Anton Peterlin, M, Plymouth Argyle -- In the 18, did not play in Plymouth Argyle's 1-0 loss to Exeter City on Saturday. Peterlin was also in the 18 but did not play in Plymouth Argyle's 3-1 loss to Southampton on Monday. SEASON: 12 games, 9 starts

Frank Simek, D, Carlisle United -- Started, played 90 minutes in Carlisle's 3-0 loss to Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday. SEASON: 55 games, 55 starts

League Two

Jon-Paul Pittman, F, Wycombe Wanderers -- Not in the 18 for Wycombe's 3-1 victory over Bury on Saturday. SEASON: 20 games, 10 starts, 7 goals

Bundesliga

DaMarcus Beasley, M, Hannover 96 -- Not in the 18 for Hannover's 1-0 loss to Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday. SEASON: 4 games Timmy Chandler, M/D, FC Nurnberg -- Not in the 18 for Nurnberg's 2-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund on Saturday. Chandler cut his foot during training and was forced to sit out the game, though an extended spell on the sidelines is not expected. SEASON: 14 games, 9 starts, 1 goal

Steve Cherundolo, D, Hannover 96 -- Started, played 90 minutes in Hannover's 1-0 loss to Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday. The loss puts Hannover two points behind Bayern Munich for the Bundesliga's final UEFA Champions League spot with two matches remaining in the season. SEASON: 32 games, 32 starts

Ricardo Clark, M/D, Eintracht Frankfurt -- Started, played 21 minutes in Frankfurt's 3-0 loss to Mainz 05 on Saturday. Clark was forced to leave the match with a calf injury. SEASON: 12 games, 9 starts

Daniel Williams, D, SC Freiburg -- In the 18, came on as a 30th-minute substitute in Freiburg's 2-0 victory over Hamburg SV on Saturday. SEASON: 7 games, 2 starts

2. Bundesliga

Edson Buddle, F, FC Ingolstadt 04 -- In the 18, came on as a halftime substitute in Ingolstadt's 0-0 draw with FC Erzgebirge Aue on Saturday. SEASON: 13 games, 7 starts, 2 goals

Luis Robles, GK, Karlsruhe SC -- Started, played 90 minutes, picked up a yellow card and made two saves in Karlsruhe's 2-2 draw with Fortuna Düsseldorf on Friday. Robles conceded a penalty, saved the ensuing penalty kick but then yielded two goals in the final nine minutes to settle for the draw. SEASON: 23 games, 22 starts, 74 saves, 44 goals allowed, 4 clean sheets

Bobby Wood, F, TSV 1860 Munich -- Not in the 18 for Munich's 2-1 victory over Hertha Berlin on Friday. SEASON: 5 games

David Yelldell, GK, MSV Duisburg -- Started, played 90 minutes, made four saves and earned the clean sheet in Duisburg's 4-0 victory over FSV Frankfurt on Saturday. SEASON: 37 games, 27 starts, 86 saves, 34 goals allowed, 13 clean sheets

3. Liga

Matt Taylor, F, Rot Weiss Ahlen -- Started, played 90 minutes in Rot Weiss Ahlen's 3-0 loss to Aalen on Saturday. SEASON: 28 games, 28 starts, 15 goals

Ligue 1

Carlos Bocanegra, D, St. Etienne -- Started, played 90 minutes St. Etienne's 1-1 draw with AS Monaco on Sunday. SEASON: 31 games, 31 starts, 2 goals

Eredivisie

Oguchi Onyewu, D, FC Twente Enschede -- In the 18, did not play in Twente's 4-0 victory over Willem II Tilburg on Sunday. SEASON: 14 games, 13 starts

Super Lig

Jozy Altidore, F, Bursaspor -- In the 18, came on as a 66th-minute substitute in Bursaspor's 1-0 loss to Kayserispor on Sunday. SEASON: 23 games, 12 starts, 3 goals

1. Lig

Freddy Adu, M, Caykur Rizespor -- In the 18, came on as a 56th-minute substitute and scored a goal four minutes later in Rizespor's 2-1 loss to Adanaspor on Saturday. Adu took a short pass about eight yards from goal and scored on a first-time, right-footed shot inside the left post to cut his team's deficit in half. SEASON: 9 games, 7 starts, 3 goals

Eerste Klasse

Sacha Kljestan, M, RSC Anderlecht -- Started, played 90 minutes in Anderlecht's 0-0 draw with Club Brugge in the sixth game of the Belgian playoff hexagonal on Sunday. SEASON: 29 games, 24 starts, 3 goals

Liga de Honra

Greg Garza, D, G.D. Estoril Praia -- In the 18, did not play in Estoril's 0-0 draw with Arouca on Sunday. SEASON: 2 games

Tony Taylor, F, G.D. Estoril Praia -- Not in the 18 for Estoril's 0-0 draw with Arouca on Sunday. SEASON: 19 games, 4 starts, 4 goals

Premier League

Dominic Cervi, GK, Celtic FC -- Not in the 18 for Celtic's 4-1 victory over Dundee United on Sunday. SEASON: 0 games

Maurice Edu, M, Rangers FC -- Started, played 90 minutes in Rangers' 5-0 victory over Motherwell on Saturday. SEASON: 44 games, 37 starts, 5 goals

Primera Division

Daniel Antunez, M/D, Estudiantes Tecos -- Not in the 18 for Tecos' 3-1 loss to Santos Laguna on Friday. SEASON: 2 games, 1 start

Jonathan Bornstein, M/D, Tigres UANL -- In the 18, did not play in Tigres' 3-0 victory over Atlas on Saturday. Tigres won its group and is the top-seeded team in the eight-club liguilla (playoffs) that will determine the 2011 Clausura champion. SEASON: 6 games, 4 starts

Edgar Castillo, D, Puebla -- Not in the 18 for Puebla's 2-0 loss to Morelia on Sunday. SEASON: 7 games, 4 starts, 1 goal

Herculez Gomez, F, Pachuca -- Started, played 90 minutes in Pachuca's 1-1 draw with Necaxa on Saturday. SEASON: 15 games, 6 starts, 4 goals

Sonny Guadarrama, M, Atlante -- Not in the 18 for Atlante's 2-1 victory over Toluca on Saturday. Atlante won its group and advanced to the liguilla. SEASON: 7 games

Sammy Ochoa, F, Estudiantes Tecos -- Not in the 18 for Tecos' 3-1 loss to Santos Laguna on Friday. SEASON: 0 games

Adrian Ruelas, F, Santos Laguna -- Not in the 18 for Santos' 3-1 victory over Estudiantes Tecos on Friday. SEASON: 2 games

Jose Francisco Torres, M, Pachuca -- Started, played 55 minutes in Pachuca's 1-1 draw with Necaxa on Saturday. SEASON: 13 games, 12 starts

Superliga

Clarence Goodson, D, Brondby IF -- Started, played 90 minutes in Brondby's 0-0 draw with Horsens on Sunday. SEASON: 5 games, 4 starts, 1 goal

Michael Parkhurst, D, FC Nordsjaelland -- Not in the 18 for Nordsjaelland's 1-0 victory over Randers FC in the first leg of their Landspokal (Danish Cup) semifinal tie on Thursday or for Nordsjaelland's 1-0 loss to Lyngby in league play on Sunday. SEASON: 19 games, 18 starts

Chris Rolfe, F, Aalborg BK -- Started, played 68 minutes in Aalborg's 2-0 victory over FC Midtjylland on Saturday. SEASON: 4 games, 2 starts, 1 goal

Tippeligaen

Sean Cunningham, D, Molde FK -- Started, played 72 minutes in Molde's 11-0 victory over fourth-tier club Eidsvag in the first round of the NM Cupen (Norwegian Cup) on Sunday. SEASON: 1 game, 1 start

Mikkel Diskerud, M, Stabaek -- Started, played 90 minutes in Stabaek's 1-0 victory over fourth-tier club Holmlia in the first round of the NM Cupen on Sunday. SEASON: 6 games, 6 starts

Josh Gatt, M, Molde FK -- Started, played 90 minutes in Molde's 11-0 victory over fourth-tier club Eidsvag in the first round of the NM Cupen on Sunday. SEASON: 6 games, 2 starts

Allsvenskanliga

Gale Agbossoumonde, D, Djurgardens IF -- In the 18, came on as a 75th-minute substitute in Djurgardens' 3-2 loss to Trelleborg FF on Sunday. SEASON: 4 games, 3 starts

Alejandro Bedoya, M, Orebro SK -- Started, played 90 minutes in Orebro's 1-0 loss to AIK on Monday. SEASON: 6 games, 6 starts, 2 goals

Ryan Miller, D, Halmstads BK -- In the 18, did not play in Halmstads' 2-1 loss to Gefle on Monday. SEASON: 1 game