Young Americans tack on USMNT call-ups to recent club success

One of the themes in U.S. Soccer this week is the young wave of American talent getting its chance to perform under the spotlight both internationally and on the club level.

In Russia on Wednesday, four up-and-comers -- Juan Agudelo, Josh Gatt, Joe Gyau and Mix Diskerud -- will be part of the U.S. team going into Krasnodar looking to finish off 2012 with another friendly road victory over a strong opponent (The U.S. has defeated Italy and Mexico in friendlies this year.) All four would-have-been Olympians missed out on the opportunity to compete in London this summer, but that was hardly the end-all be-all for them. A combination of strong club play and potential has them on U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann's radar as he looks to interject youth into his squad.

For Gatt and Diskerud, the call-ups were good news piled on top of more good news. Gatt's Molde won the Tippeligaen (Norway's top flight) for the second straight year, clinching first place with a victory over the weekend. Assuming Gatt, a lightning-fast winger/fullback, remains with the club, he'll get the chance to play in the UEFA Champions League next summer, with Molde's title assuring the team of a place in the competition's preliminary rounds.

Diskerud, who reportedly is closing in on an extension with Rosenborg after a successful few months following a transfer from fellow Norwegian side Stabaek, is all but guaranteed a place in the UEFA Europa League again next season. Rosenborg holds a three-point edge over Tromso for the final Europa League spot in Norway but maintains a plus-10 goal differential that should be more than enough to stave off any season finale shenanigans. The central midfielder has carved out a place in Rosenborg's lineup, a home that has fostered Diskerud's game and continued his progression in a way that Stabaek was not.

The Champions League and Europa League are the premier club competitions in Europe, but when it comes to club prestige in the Americas, it does not get any bigger than the Copa Libertadores, and the American contingent at Mexico's Club Tijuana clinched a place in next year's tournament with a storybook second-place finish in the Liga MX regular season. The surprise Xolos, helped in part by U.S. young guns Joe Corona and Greg Garza and 26-year-old left back Edgar Castillo, were promoted to Mexico's top flight 18 months ago and also represent the only chance any Americans have at capturing league silverware in Mexico. The Liga MX Liguilla -- an eight-team playoff tournament -- kicks off this week, with the winner being crowned Apertura champion and sealing a corresponding place in next year's CONCACAF Champions League.

In addition to the team accomplishments sealed by the young Americans in Norway and Mexico, U.S. call-ups Jozy Altidore and Sacha Kljestan and hopefuls Alejandro Bedoya and Andrew Wooten scored goals to highlight the individual accolades for Americans playing abroad this past week. Here is how they and the rest of their countrymen fared (season statistics encompass all competitions):

Premier League

Geoff Cameron, D/M, Stoke City -- Started, played 90 minutes in Stoke's 1-0 win over Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.SEASON: 11 games, 10 starts

Cody Cropper, GK, Southampton -- Not in the 18 for Southampton's 1-1 draw with Swansea City on Saturday.SEASON: 0 games

Clint Dempsey, M/F, Tottenham Hotspur -- In the 18, came on as an 82nd-minute substitute in Tottenham's 3-1 win over Maribor in their UEFA Europa League group-stage match Thursday. Dempsey started and played 90 minutes in a 2-1 loss to Manchester City in league play Sunday.SEASON: 14 games, 12 starts, 2 goals

Maurice Edu, D/M, Stoke City -- Not in the 18 for Stoke's 1-0 win over Queens Park Rangers.SEASON: 1 game

Brad Friedel, GK, Tottenham Hotspur -- Not in the 18 for Tottenham's 3-1 win over Maribor in their Europa League group-stage match. Friedel started, played 90 minutes and made three saves in Tottenham's 2-1 loss to Manchester City.SEASON: 10 games, 10 starts, 16 goals

Brad Guzan, GK, Aston Villa -- Started, played 90 minutes and made three saves in Villa's 3-2 loss to Manchester United on Saturday.SEASON: 10 games, 10 starts, 13 goals allowed, 3 clean sheets

Tim Howard, GK, Everton -- Started, played 90 minutes and made two saves in Everton's 2-1 win over Sunderland on Saturday.SEASON: 11 games, 11 starts, 14 goals allowed, 2 clean sheets

Eric Lichaj, D, Aston Villa -- Not in the 18 for Villa's 3-2 loss to Manchester United.SEASON: 10 games, 5 starts

League Championship

Conor Doyle, F, Derby County -- Not in the 18 for Derby County's 2-0 win over Barnsley on Tuesday or a 2-1 loss to Millwall on Saturday.SEASON: 2 games, 1 start

Stuart Holden, M, Bolton -- Not in the 18 for Bolton's 0-0 draw with Leicester City on Tuesday or a 2-2 draw with Blackpool on Saturday.SEASON: 0 game

Will Packwood, D/M, Birmingham City - In the 18, did not play in Birmingham's 2-0 win over Bristol City on Tuesday. Packwood was not in the 18 for a 1-1 draw with Blackburn on Saturday.SEASON: 4 games, 4 starts

Tim Ream, D, Bolton -- In the 18, did not play in Bolton's 0-0 draw with Leicester City and a 2-2 draw with Blackpool.SEASON: 7 games, 6 starts

Jonathan Spector, D/M, Birmingham City -- In the 18, came on as a 41st-minute substitute in Birmingham's 2-0 win over Bristol City. Spector started, played 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card in a 1-1 draw with Blackburn.SEASON: 15 games, 12 starts, 1 goal

Zak Whitbread, D, Leicester City -- Not in the 18 for Leicester City's 0-0 draw with Bolton on Tuesday. Whitbread started and played 90 minutes in a 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest on Saturday.SEASON: 7 games, 6 starts

League One

Mike Grella, F, Scunthorpe United -- In the 18, did not play in Scunthorpe's 4-1 win over Walsall on Tuesday and in a 2-1 win over Coventry City on Saturday.SEASON: 14 games, 9 starts, 2 goals

Robbie Rogers, M, Stevenage -- In the 18, did not play in Stevenage's 3-1 win over Yeovil Town on Tuesday and in a 4-1 loss to Preston North End on Saturday.SEASON: 7 games, 3 starts

Frank Simek, D, Carlisle United -- Started, played 90 minutes in Carlisle's 1-1 draw with Preston North End on Tuesday and a 2-1 loss to Brentford on Saturday.SEASON: 17 games, 15 starts

Bundesliga

Timmy Chandler, D, FC Nurnberg -- Started, played 90 minutes in Nurnberg's 2-1 loss to Mainz 05 on Friday.SEASON: 12 games, 12 starts, 1 goal

Steve Cherundolo, D, Hannover 96 -- Started, played 90 minutes in Hannover's 3-2 win over Helsingborg in their Europa League group-stage match on Thursday. Cherundolo started and played 87 minutes in a 4-2 win over VfB Stuttgart in league play Sunday.SEASON: 20 games, 20 starts

Fabian Johnson, D, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim -- Started, played 90 minutes in Hoffenheim's 1-1 draw with Fortuna Dusseldorf on Saturday.SEASON: 11 games, 11 starts, 2 goals

Jermaine Jones, M, FC Schalke 04 -- Started, played 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card in Schalke's 2-2 draw with Arsenal in their UEFA Champions League group-stage match Tuesday. Jones started, was subbed off in the 90th minute and assisted on the game-winning goal in Schalke's 2-1 win over Werder Bremen in league play Saturday.SEASON: 13 games, 11 starts, 1 goal

Danny Williams, M, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim -- Started, played 90 minutes in Hoffenheim's 1-1 draw with Fortuna Dusseldorf.SEASON: 9 games, 8 starts, 1 goal

2. Bundesliga

John Anthony Brooks, D, Hertha Berlin -- Started, played 90 minutes in Hertha Berlin's 6-1 win over SV Sandhausen on Friday.SEASON: 10 games, 7 starts

Joe Gyau, M, St. Pauli -- In the 18, did not play in St. Pauli's 1-1 draw with VfL Bochum on Monday.SEASON: 5 games, 1 start

Alfredo Morales, D, Hertha Berlin -- Not in the 18 for Hertha Berlin's 6-1 win over Sandhausen.SEASON: 1 game

Andrew Wooten, F, SV Sandhausen -- In the 18, came on as a 62nd-minute substitute and scored a consolation goal in the 75th minute of Sandhausen's 6-1 loss to Hertha Berlin on Friday.SEASON: 8 games, 3 starts, 1 goal

Serie A

Michael Bradley, M, AS Roma -- Started, played 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card in Roma's 3-2 loss to Lazio on Sunday.SEASON: 6 games, 5 starts, 1 goal

Primera Division

Oguchi Onyewu, D, Malaga -- In the 18, did not play in Malaga's 1-1 draw with AC Milan in their Champions League group-stage match Tuesday. Onyewu started and played 90 minutes in Malaga's 2-1 loss to Real Sociedad in league play Saturday, marking his first league performance since being loaned to Malaga.SEASON: 3 games, 2 starts, 1 goal

Segunda Division

Carlos Bocanegra, D, Racing Santander -- Started, played 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card in Racing Santander's 1-0 loss to Girona on Saturday.SEASON: 14 games, 14 starts (7 games, 7 starts with Rangers)

Eredivisie

Jozy Altidore, F, AZ Alkmaar -- Started, played 90 minutes and scored an equalizing goal in AZ's 2-2 draw with ADO Den Haag on Saturday. Altidore flicked the ball to himself before rifling a left-footed side volley inside the far post to deliver a point.SEASON: 13 games, 13 starts, 12 goals

Pro League

Sacha Kljestan, M, RSC Anderlecht -- Started, played 90 minutes and assisted on the game-winning goal in Anderlecht's 1-0 victory over Zenit St. Petersburg in their Champions League group stage match on Tuesday. Kljestan also started, played 90 minutes and scored the fourth goal in Anderlecht's 6-1 victory over Club Brugge in league play on Sunday. Kljestan completed a darting run down the center of the box to volley home a cross from the left for his first league goal of the campaign.SEASON: 19 games, 12 starts, 2 goals

Primeira Liga

Caleb Patterson-Sewell, GK, Vitoria Setubal -- In the 18, did not play in Vitoria Setubal's 1-1 draw with Maritimo on Monday.SEASON: 2 games, 2 starts, 7 goals allowed

Tony Taylor, F, Estoril Praia -- Not in the 18 for Estoril's 2-0 win over Moreirense on Sunday.SEASON: 5 games, 3 starts

Bundesliga

Terrence Boyd, F, Rapid Vienna -- Started, played 86 minutes and picked up a yellow card in Rapid Vienna's 3-0 loss to Bayer Leverkusen in their Europa League group-stage match Thursday. Boyd was in the 18 and came on as a halftime substitute in a 2-0 loss to Wolfsberger AC in league play Sunday.SEASON: 22 games, 18 starts, 9 goals

Liga MX

DaMarcus Beasley, M, Puebla -- Started, played 90 minutes in Puebla's 1-0, season-ending loss to Queretaro on Sunday.SEASON: 15 games, 15 starts

Jonathan Bornstein, D, Tigres UANL -- Not in the 18 for Tigres' 1-1, season-ending draw with America on Saturday.SEASON: 3 games, 2 starts

Edgar Castillo, D, Tijuana -- Started, played 90 minutes in Tijuana's 2-0 win over Chivas de Guadalajara on Sunday. Tijuana will face Monterrey in the quarterfinals of the Liguilla, which begin Wednesday.SEASON: 14 games, 14 starts

Joe Corona, M, Tijuana -- In the 18, did not play in Tijuana's 2-0 win over Chivas de Guadalajara.SEASON: 16 games, 10 starts

Michael Orozco Fiscal, D, San Luis -- Not in the 18 for San Luis' 2-0, season-ending loss to Toluca on Saturday.SEASON: 12 games, 9 starts, 1 goal

Greg Garza, D, Tijuana -- Not in the 18 for Tijuana's 2-0 win over Chivas de Guadalajara.SEASON: 13 games, 10 starts, 1 goal

Herculez Gomez, F, Santos Laguna -- In the 18, came on as a 69th-minute substitute in Santos Laguna's 2-0, season-ending loss to Morelia on Friday.SEASON: 14 games, 9 starts, 5 goals

Benji Joya, M, Santos Laguna -- Not in the 18 for Santos Laguna's 2-0 loss to Morelia.SEASON: 5 games, 2 starts

Jose Francisco Torres, M, Pachuca -- Not in the 18 for Pachuca's 2-1, season-ending win over Jaguares on Saturday.SEASON: 15 games, 14 starts, 2 goals

Superliga

Charlie Davies, F, Randers -- In the 18, did not play in Randers' 2-2 draw with FC Nordsjaelland on Saturday.SEASON: 13 games, 3 starts

Clarence Goodson, D, Brondby -- Started, played 90 minutes in Brondby's 3-0 win over Silkeborg in the DBU Pokalen (Danish Cup) Round of 16 on Wednesday. Goodson also started, played 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card in a 2-1 win over Silkeborg in league play Sunday.SEASON: 13 games, 13 starts, 1 goal

Conor O'Brien, M/F, Sonderjyske -- Started, played 90 minutes in Sonderjyske's 5-0 loss to Odense BK on Sunday.SEASON: 18 games, 18 starts, 4 goals

Michael Parkhurst, D, FC Nordsjaelland -- Started, played 90 minutes in Nordsjaelland's 4-0 loss to Juventus in their Champions League group-stage match Wednesday. Parkhurst also started, played 90 minutes, picked up a yellow card and assisted on a goal in a 2-2 draw with Randers in league play Saturday.SEASON: 16 games, 15 starts, 2 goals

Tippeligaen

Chad Barrett, F, Valerenga -- Not in the 18 for Valerenga's 2-1 loss to Lillestrom on Sunday.SEASON: 5 games, 5 starts

Steve Clark, GK, Honefoss -- Started, played 90 minutes in Honefoss' 1-0 loss to Molde on Sunday.SEASON: 29 games, 29 starts, 38 goals allowed, 9 clean sheets

Sean Cunningham, D, Stabaek -- Not in the 18 for Stabaek's 2-1 win over Sogndal on Sunday.SEASON: 21 games, 21 starts

Mix Diskerud, M, Rosenborg -- In the 18, came on as a 62nd-minute substitute in Rosenborg's 3-1 loss to Metalist Kharkiv in their Europa League group-stage match Thursday. Diskerud also started and played 90 minutes in Rosenborg's 1-0 loss to Fredrikstad in league play Sunday.SEASON: 15 games, 13 starts, 2 goals

Josh Gatt, M, Molde -- Started, played the first half of Molde's 2-1 loss to Steaua Bucuresti in their Europa League group-stage match on Thursday. Gatt was in the 18 and came on as a halftime substitute in a 1-0 win over Honefoss on Sunday that clinched its second straight championship in Norway's top flight.SEASON: 27 games, 21 starts, 6 goals

Allsvenskan

Alejandro Bedoya, M, Helsingborg IF -- Started, played 90 minutes, picked up a yellow card and scored a goal in Helsingborg's 3-2 loss to Hannover 96 in their Europa League group-stage match Thursday. Bedoya scored to tie it at the time, only to have Helsingborg lose on a stoppage-time penalty. Bedoya was in the 18 but did not play in a 2-0 win over Hollviken in the second round of the Svenska Cupen (Swedish Cup) on Sunday.SEASON: 15 games, 14 starts, 2 goals

Brian Span, M, Djurgarden IF -- Djurgarden did not have a game this past week, as the Allsvenskan season is over.SEASON: 9 games, 2 starts, 1 goal