Edu rides roller coaster for Glasgow in Champions League match

Glasgow Rangers and U.S. midfielder Maurice Edu experienced most of the peaks and valleys a professional soccer player in Europe can in a span of five days.

By rising high to head home a corner kick in the first half of Rangers' match against Valencia last Wednesday, Edu became the first American to score in the UEFA Champions League since DaMarcus Beasley accomplished the feat for Rangers FC in 2007. Edu took a punch to the face from Valencia keeper Cesar Sanchez while putting his head in the ball's path but managed to make direct contact to give Rangers the 33rd-minute lead.

After reaching the highest of highs, Edu's day took a turn for the worse after he managed to head in a second goal 13 minutes later -- only into the wrong net -- accounting for both goals in the teams' 1-1 draw.

"The first goal, I didn't even have time to celebrate, because I took a knock on the head and was laid on the ground for a while," Edu told the BBC after the match. "The own goal, I saw it late, and the next thing I know it hit me and it was in. I was trying to mark the guy in front of me, and it looked like he was going to get it and at the last minute it hit me. That was obviously disappointing."

Just days after Edu's elation-turned-disappointment, opportunity for success came again, this time in the form of a solid performance against a bitter rival in one of the world's most fierce rivalries.

The California native had a hand in setting up the game-winning goal in Rangers' comeback 3-1 victory over Celtic FC in the Old Firm Derby on Sunday, helping Rangers take the outright lead in the Scottish Premier League.

Edu has scored some clutch goals in his career, including a late game-winner over Celtic last season and the Champions League tally last week. If not for the notorious call by Koman Coulibaly that nullified an Edu goal in the U.S.' match against Slovenia over the summer, Edu might have a World Cup match-winner on his résumé, too.

Edu's headline-grabbing performance was the highlight during a week when Benny Feilhaber rediscovered his scoring touch, Sacha Kljestan returned to the starting lineup, Mike Grella made an impact with his new club and a couple of Americans playing in the lower divisions of Germany and Portugal also scored. Here's how the Americans playing abroad fared during the past week (season statistics encompass all competitions):

ENGLAND

Premier League

Clint Dempsey, M, Fulham -- Started, played 90 minutes in Fulham's 2-1 loss to West Brom on Saturday. SEASON: 11 games, 8 starts, 3 goals

Brad Friedel, GK, Aston Villa -- Started, played 90 minutes and made one save in Villa's 1-0 loss to Sunderland on Saturday. The goal allowed was a Richard Dunne own-goal. SEASON: 9 games, 9 starts, 36 saves, 13 goals, 3 clean sheets

Brad Guzan, GK, Aston Villa -- In the 18-man gameday roster, did not play in Villa's 1-0 loss to Sunderland on Saturday. SEASON: 3 games, 3 starts, 12 saves, 5 goals allowed.

Marcus Hahnemann, GK, Wolverhampton -- Started, played 90 minutes and made three saves in Wolves' 2-0 loss to Chelsea on Saturday. SEASON: 9 games, 9 starts, 33 saves, 15 goals allowed

Stuart Holden, M, Bolton -- Started, played 90 minutes in Bolton's 1-1 draw with Wigan Athletic on Saturday. SEASON: 10 games, 9 starts

Tim Howard, GK, Everton -- Started, played 90 minutes and made three saves in Everton's 1-1 draw with Tottenham on Saturday. SEASON: 9 games, 9 starts, 24 saves, 8 goals allowed, 3 clean sheets

Eddie Johnson, F, Fulham -- In the 18, did not play in Fulham's 2-1 loss to West Brom on Saturday. SEASON: 6 games, 1 start

Eric Lichaj, D, Aston Villa -- Not in the 18 for Villa's 1-0 loss to Sunderland on Saturday. SEASON: 2 games, 2 starts

Jonathan Spector, D, West Ham -- Not in the 18 for West Ham's 2-1 loss to Newcastle on Saturday. SEASON: 2 games, 2 starts

Championship

Conor Doyle, F, Derby County -- In the 18, did not play in Derby County's 3-2 victory over Doncaster Rovers on Tuesday. Doyle was also in the 18 but did not play in Derby County's 2-0 loss to Millwall on Saturday. SEASON: 6 games, 2 starts

Zak Whitbread, D, Norwich City -- Not in the 18 for Norwich City's 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace on Tuesday or for Norwich City's 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough on Saturday. SEASON: 0 games

League One

Mike Grella, F, Carlisle United -- Started, played 90 minutes and scored a 58th-minute goal in Carlisle's 4-3 loss to Charlton Athletic on Saturday. Grella, who struggled for playing time with parent club Leeds United and finally accepted a loan to a lower division, hadn't scored since February. He connected on a 12-yard header to spark the scoring for Carlisle, which battled back from a 3-0 deficit to pull even, only to lose on a 90th-minute goal. SEASON: 4 games, 1 start, 1 goal

Jemal Johnson, M, Milton Keynes Dons -- Started, played 72 minutes in Milton Keynes Dons' 1-0 victory over Exeter on Saturday. Johnson returned from his loan to League Two side Port Vale and immediately cracked the starting lineup for his parent club. SEASON: 9 games, 3 starts

Anton Peterlin, M, Plymouth Argyle -- Not in the 18 for Plymouth Argyle's 2-1 victory over Huddersfield Town on Saturday. SEASON: 4 games, 3 starts

Frank Simek, D, Carlisle United -- Started, played 90 minutes in Carlisle's 4-3 loss to Charlton Athletic on Saturday. SEASON: 14 games, 14 starts

SPAIN

La Liga

Jozy Altidore, F, Villarreal -- In the 18, came on as an 82nd-minute substitute in Villarreal's 1-0 victory over PAOK Salonika in their UEFA Europa League group stage match on Thursday. Altidore was also on the gameday roster but did not play in Villarreal's 2-0 victory over Atletico Madrid on Sunday. SEASON: 5 games, 3 starts

ITALY

Serie A

Oguchi Onyewu, D, AC Milan -- Not on the UEFA Champions League roster for Milan, which fell to Real Madrid 2-0 in group play on Tuesday. Onyewu was also not on the gameday roster for Milan's 2-1 victory over Napoli on Monday. SEASON: 0 games

GERMANY

Bundesliga

DaMarcus Beasley, M, Hannover 96 -- In the 18, did not play in Hannover's 2-1 victory over FC Cologne on Saturday. SEASON: 1 game

Michael Bradley, M, Borussia Monchengladbach -- Started, played 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card in Monchengladbach's 4-1 loss to Werder Bremen on Saturday. SEASON: 10 games, 10 starts, 2 goals

Steve Cherundolo, D, Hannover 96 -- Started, played 90 minutes in Hannover's 2-1 victory over FC Cologne on Saturday. SEASON: 10 games, 10 starts

Ricardo Clark, M, Eintracht Frankfurt -- Not in the 18 for Frankfurt's 0-0 draw with FC Schalke 04 on Saturday. SEASON: 2 games

Jermaine Jones, M, FC Schalke 04 -- Started, played 75 minutes in Schalke's 3-1 victory over Hapoel Tel Aviv in their UEFA Champions League group stage match on Wednesday. Jones also started, played 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card in Schalke's 0-0 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt in league play on Saturday. SEASON: 11 games, 10 starts, 1 goal

Daniel Williams, D, SC Freiburg -- In the 18, did not play in Freiburg's 2-1 victory over Kaiserslautern on Saturday. SEASON: 2 games

2. Bundesliga

Luis Robles, GK, Karlsruhe SC -- Started, played 90 minutes and made four saves in Karlsruhe's 3-0 loss to MSV Duisburg on Sunday. SEASON: 3 games, 3 starts, 14 saves, 6 goals allowed

Dave Yelldell, GK, MSV Duisburg -- Started, played 90 minutes, made one save and earned the clean sheet in Duisburg's 3-0 victory over Karlsruhe SC on Sunday. SEASON: 10 games, 10 starts, 24 saves, 7 goals allowed, 4 clean sheets

3. Liga

Matt Taylor, F, Rot Weiss Ahlen -- Started, played 85 minutes and scored a 29th-minute goal in Rot Weiss Ahlen's 3-2 victory over Bayern Munich II on Saturday. SEASON: 7 games, 7 starts, 3 goals

FRANCE

Ligue 1

Carlos Bocanegra, D, St. Etienne -- Not in the 18 for St. Etienne's 1-1 draw with Caen on Saturday. Bocanegra injured his neck last week against Nice and was ruled out for three weeks. SEASON: 8 games, 8 starts

Charlie Davies, F, FC Sochaux -- Not in the 18 for Sochaux's 3-1 loss to Toulouse on Saturday. SEASON: 0 games

BELGIUM

Eerste Klasse

Sacha Kljestan, M, RSC Anderlecht -- Started, played 90 minutes in Anderlecht's 3-0 victory over AEK Athens in their UEFA Europa League group stage match on Thursday. Kljestan also started and played 90 minutes in Anderlecht's 2-0 victory over Westerlo in league play on Sunday. Kljestan hadn't played since Aug. 21, working his way back to fitness after an ankle injury. SEASON: 7 games, 6 starts, 2 goals

PORTUGAL

Liga de Honra

Bryan Arguez, M, G.D. Estoril Praia -- Not in the 18 for Estoril's 2-2 draw with Fatima on Sunday. SEASON: 1 game, 1 start

Greg Garza, D, G.D. Estoril Praia -- Not in the 18 for Estoril's 2-2 draw with Fatima on Sunday. SEASON: 0 games

Tony Taylor, F, G.D. Estoril Praia -- In the 18, came on as a 73rd-minute substitute and scored a 74th-minute goal in Estoril's 2-2 draw with Fatima on Sunday. SEASON: 8 games, 1 start, 3 goals

SCOTLAND

Premier League

Dominic Cervi, GK, Celtic FC -- Not in the 18 for Celtic's 3-1 loss to Rangers FC on Sunday. SEASON: 0 games

Maurice Edu, M, Rangers FC -- Started, played 90 minutes and scored a 33rd-minute goal but also picked up a yellow card and netted a 46th-minute own goal in Rangers' 1-1 draw with Valencia in their UEFA Champions League group stage match on Wednesday. Edu headed home a corner kick for the opening goal and his first-ever in Champions League play, only to inadvertently head a Valencia cross into his own net just after halftime. Edu also started and played 90 minutes in Rangers' 3-1 victory over rival Celtic on Sunday. SEASON: 12 games, 10 starts, 1 goal

GREECE

Super League

Freddy Adu, F, Aris Salonika -- Not on the UEFA Europa League roster for Aris, which played Bayer Leverkusen to a 0-0 draw in group play on Thursday. Adu was also not in the 18 for Aris' 1-0 loss to Olympiakos in league play on Sunday. SEASON: 0 games

MEXICO

Primera Division

Edgar Castillo, D, San Luis -- In the 18, did not play in San Luis' 2-0 victory over Necaxa on Friday. SEASON: 6 games, 1 goal

Herculez Gomez, F, Pachuca -- In the 18, did not play in Pachuca's 2-0 loss to Chiapas on Saturday. SEASON: 10 games, 1 goal

Sammy Ochoa, F, Estudiantes Tecos -- In the 18, came on as a halftime substitute in Tecos' 1-0 loss to Queretaro on Saturday. SEASON: 12 games, 5 starts, 2 goals

Jose Francisco Torres, M, Pachuca -- In the 18, came on as a 60th-minute substitute in Pachuca's 2-0 loss to Chiapas on Saturday. SEASON: 10 games, 5 starts

Marco Vidal, M, Pachuca -- In the 18, did not play in Pachuca's 2-0 loss to Chiapas on Saturday. SEASON: 7 games, 6 starts

ARGENTINA

Primera Division

Michael Hoyos, M, Estudiantes La Plata -- In the 18, came on as an 84th-minute substitute in Estudiantes' 0-0 draw with Velez Sarsfield on Friday. SEASON: 7 games, 3 starts

IRELAND

Premier Division

Ryan Guy, F, St. Patrick's Athletic FC -- Started, played 90 minutes in St. Patrick's Athletic's 1-0 loss to Shamrock Rovers in an FAI Cup semifinal replay on Tuesday. Guy also started and played 88 minutes in St. Pats' 2-0 victory over Bray Wanderers in league play on Saturday. St. Pats was eliminated from the FAI Cup and needs to leapfrog Sporting Fingal and Sligo Rovers to finish in third in the League of Ireland Premier Division in order to earn a UEFA Europa League qualifying-round berth. Should the Saints defeat Sligo in the season finale and Sporting Fingal either draw or lose, Guy's side would finish in third. SEASON: 36 games, 34 starts, 7 goals

DENMARK

Superliga

Michael Parkhurst, D, FC Nordsjaelland -- Started, played 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card in Nordsjaelland's 2-0 loss to Aalborg on Sunday. SEASON: 11 games, 11 starts

Chris Rolfe, F, Aalborg BK -- Not in the 18 for Aalborg's 2-0 victory over FC Nordsjaelland on Sunday. SEASON: 0 games

Danish First Division

Benny Feilhaber, M, AGF Aarhus -- Started, played 90 minutes and scored a 25th-minute goal off a free kick in Aarhus' 4-1 victory over Fyn on Wednesday. Feilhaber also started and played 51 minutes in Aarhus' 2-0 victory over Skive on Sunday. He picked up a minor ankle injury against Skive but is not expected to miss much time, if any. SEASON: 14 games, 13 starts, 6 goals

SWEDEN

Allsvenskanliga

Alejandro Bedoya, M, Orebro SK -- Started, played 90 minutes in Orebro's 1-0 victory over GAIS on Wednesday. Bedoya also started and played 90 minutes in Orebro's 1-1 draw with Brommapojkarna on Monday. With two games remaining in its season, Orebro has a five-point lead over fourth-place Elfsborg in the quest to lock down a 2011 UEFA Europa League qualifying-round berth. SEASON: 24 games, 24 starts, 2 goals

NORWAY

Tippeligaen

Mikkel Diskerud, M, Stabaek IF -- Started, played 90 minutes in Stabaek's 3-2 loss to IK Start on Sunday. SEASON: 28 games, 27 starts, 4 goals

Hunter Freeman, D, IK Start -- Not in the 18 for Start's 3-2 victory over Stabaek IF on Sunday. Freeman missed his second straight game while nursing a knee injury. SEASON: 24 games, 24 starts, 1 goal

Clarence Goodson, D, IK Start -- Started, played 90 minutes in Start's 3-2 victory over Stabaek IF on Sunday. SEASON: 24 games, 24 starts, 3 goals