Bradley, Edu set for more U.S. action; more Americans Abroad
The rotating door at the U.S. Soccer infirmary, one that always seems to have high-profile inhabitants, keeps on turning.
Stuart Holden's successful transition from the injured list to Bolton's first team was met with the word that Jose Francisco Torres required season-ending foot surgery, something that will keep him out of action for his club in Mexico and for the U.S. national team until at least December.
Torres, a regular in Pachuca's lineup, had become a fixture at central midfield for U.S. national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann, starting in each of the three friendlies for which the new coach has been in charge. Torres' minutes will be up for grabs in a couple of weeks, when the United States faces Honduras and Ecuador in the next set of international friendlies. While Holden's return at the club level is significant, Klinsmann has made it clear that he won't rush the player back to international duty, leaving an opening for others to grasp the opportunity for the time being.
One central midfielder who is surely set to make a reappearance with the national team is Michael Bradley, who is settling into a starting role with Chievo Verona in Italy after being in limbo for the start of the European club season. After becoming the first American to play in Serie A since Alexi Lalas in 1996 (Oguchi Onyewu was with AC Milan more recently but never made a league appearance), Bradley had his most influential game in helping set up both of his team's goals in a 2-1 victory over Genoa over the weekend.
Maurice Edu is another central midfield candidate poised for more U.S. minutes under Klinsmann's watch, albeit in a more defensive role than the one Torres plays. Edu had perhaps his best game of the young season for Rangers, teaming with U.S. captain Carlos Bocanegra to lead the Scottish power to a comfortable league win over Dunfermline Athletic. Both scored in the 4-0 victory, and it wasn't the first time that Bocanegra has tallied in the same club game as another American, either. He did so along with now-retired striker Brian McBride in 2006 while playing for Fulham.
Bocanegra opened the scoring for Rangers with a powerful header off a corner kick before Edu opened some eyes with a left-footed strike from distance that found its way inside the left post. Both Americans drew post-match praise from Rangers manager Ally McCoist.
"It was a magic header from Carlos that got us going," McCoist said on Rangers' official website. "We have players in our side capable of scoring from set plays, and Carlos is one of them.
"Mo took the second goal really well. He shifted the ball onto his left foot, and it was a great strike. I thought he was one of our leaders (Saturday). He was leading by example the way he went about his job, which was great to see. He played at a great tempo and he got himself forward at the right times. So I'm delighted that he got his reward."
Bocanegra and Edu were joined by strikers Robbie Findley, Herculez Gomez and Conor O'Brien on the scoresheet, as they all found the back of the net this past week, a time of mixed results for Americans playing abroad. Here's how everybody fared (season statistics encompass all competitions):
Premier League
Clint Dempsey, M, Fulham -- Not in the 18 for Fulham's 0-0 draw (lost 4-3 on penalties) with Chelsea in the third round of the Carling Cup on Wednesday. Dempsey started and played 90 minutes in Fulham's 0-0 draw with West Brom in league play on Saturday. SEASON: 10 games, 10 starts, 3 goals
Brad Friedel, GK, Tottenham -- Not in the 18 for Tottenham's 0-0 draw (lost 7-6 in penalties) with Stoke City in the third round of the League Cup on Tuesday. Friedel started, played 90 minutes and made two saves in Tottenham's 2-1 victory over Wigan Athletic in league play on Saturday. SEASON: 5 games, 5 starts, 24 saves, 9 goals allowed, 2 clean sheets
Brad Guzan, GK, Aston Villa -- In the 18, did not play in Villa's 2-0 loss to Bolton in the third round of the League Cup on Tuesday. SEASON: 1 game, 1 starts, 3 saves, 0 goals allowed, 1 clean sheet
Marcus Hahnemann, GK, Everton -- Hahnemann, long rumored to be making a return to MLS, signed a deal with Everton on Friday that lasts until January. Because he was a free agent, he was permitted to sign with the club outside of the transfer window. Hahnemann was not in the lineup for Everton's 2-0 loss to Manchester City on Saturday and will fight for backup minutes behind Tim Howard. SEASON: 0 games
Stuart Holden, M, Bolton -- Started, played 90 minutes in Bolton's 2-0 victory over Aston Villa in the third round of the League Cup on Tuesday, marking his first appearance with Bolton's first team since suffering a severe leg injury in March. Holden was not in the 18 for Bolton's 3-0 loss to Arsenal in league play on Saturday. SEASON: 1 game, 1 start
Tim Howard, GK, Everton -- In the 18, did not play in Everton's 2-1 victory over West Brom in the third round of the League Cup on Wednesday. Howard started, played 90 minutes and made five saves in Everton's 2-0 loss to Manchester City in league play on Saturday. SEASON: 5 games, 5 starts, 13 saves, 5 goals allowed, 1 clean sheet
Eric Lichaj, D, Aston Villa -- Not in the 18 for Villa's 2-0 loss to Bolton in the third round of the League Cup on Tuesday. SEASON: 1 game, 1 start, 1 goal
Zak Whitbread, D, Norwich City -- Not in the 18 for Norwich City's 2-1 victory over Sunderland on Monday. SEASON: 3 games, 3 starts
League Championship
Conor Doyle, F, Derby County -- In the 18, did not play in Derby County's 3-0 victory over Millwall on Saturday. SEASON: 0 games
Robbie Findley, F, Nottingham Forest -- Started, played 120 minutes and scored a 46th minute goal in Nottingham Forest's 4-3, extra-time loss to Newcastle in the third round of the League Cup on Tuesday. Findley scored on a shot from distance, completing a run down the center with a blast to the lower right-hand corner of the goal. Findley also started and played 73 minutes in Nottingham Forest's 1-0 victory over Watford in league play on Saturday. SEASON: 9 games, 6 starts, 4 goals
Jonathan Spector, M/D, Birmingham City -- Started, played 90 minutes Birmingham's 2-0 loss to Manchester City in the third round of the Carling Cup on Wednesday. Spector also started and played 56 minutes in Birmingham's 1-1 draw with Barnsley in league play on Saturday. SEASON: 9 games, 9 starts
League One
Mike Grella, F, Brentford -- Not in the 18 for Brentford's 2-0 victory over Oldham Athletic on Saturday. SEASON: 4 games
Frank Simek, D, Carlisle United -- Not in the 18 for Carlisle's 1-0 victory over Stevenage on Saturday. SEASON: 1 game, 1 start
Anton Peterlin, M, Walsall -- In the 18, did not play in Walsall's 1-0 loss to Colchester United on Saturday. SEASON: 7 games, 4 starts
League Two
Jemal Johnson, F, Southend United -- Not in the 18 for Southend's 4-0 victory over Rotherham United on Saturday. SEASON: 6 games, 2 starts
Jon-Paul Pittman, F, Crawley Town -- In the 18, did not play in Crawley Town's 1-0 victory over Aldershot Town on Saturday. SEASON: 9 games, 1 start (7 games, 1 start with Oxford United)
Bundesliga
Timmy Chandler, D, FC Nurnberg -- Started, played 90 minutes in Nurnberg's 1-0 loss to Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday. SEASON: 8 games, 8 starts
Steve Cherundolo, D, Hannover 96 -- In the 18, did not play in Hannover's 0-0 draw with FC Augsburg on Saturday. SEASON: 7 games, 6 starts
Fabian Johnson, M/D, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim -- Not in the 18 for Hoffenheim's 2-0 loss to FC Cologne on Sunday. SEASON: 6 games, 5 starts, 1 goal
Jermaine Jones, M, FC Schalke 04 -- Not in the 18 for Schalke's 4-2 victory over SC Freiburg on Saturday. SEASON: 2 games, 1 start
Alfredo Morales, D, Hertha Berlin -- Not in the 18 for Berlin's 2-1 loss to Werder Bremen on Sunday. SEASON: 2 games
Daniel Williams, D, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim -- In the 18, did not play in Hoffenheim's 2-0 loss to FC Cologne on Sunday. SEASON: 3 games, 1 start (1 game, 1 start with SC Freiburg)
David Yelldell, GK, Bayer Leverkusen -- In the 18, did not play in Leverkusen's 3-0 loss to Bayern Munich on Saturday. SEASON: 1 game, 1 start, 1 save, 4 goals allowed
2. Bundesliga
Edson Buddle, F, FC Ingolstadt 04 -- In the 18, came on as a halftime substitute in Ingolstadt's 4-1 loss to SC Paderborn 07 on Friday. SEASON: 10 games, 4 starts, 3 goals
Ricardo Clark, M, Eintracht Frankfurt -- Not in the 18 for Frankfurt's 4-1 victory over Dynamo Dresden on Monday. SEASON: 1 game, 1 start
Luis Robles, GK, Karlsruhe -- In the 18, did not play in Karlsruhe's 1-1 draw with Hansa Rostock on Sunday. SEASON: 0 games
Matt Taylor, F, SC Paderborn 07 -- In the 18, did not play in Paderborn's 4-1 victory over FC Ingolstadt 04 on Friday. SEASON: 6 games, 3 starts, 4 goals
Bobby Wood, F, 1860 Munich -- Not in the 18 for Munich's 2-0 loss to SpVgg Greuther Furth on Sunday. SEASON: 0 games
Serie A
Michael Bradley, M, Chievo Verona -- Started, played 90 minutes in Chievo's 1-0 victory over Napoli on Wednesday. Bradley also started, played 90 minutes and played a part in both of Chievo's goals in a 2-1 victory over Genoa on Sunday. His inswinging corner kick was headed home to level the score in the 74th minute, and he sent a long diagonal ball that acted as the penultimate pass in the sequence leading to the game-winner in second-half stoppage time. SEASON: 3 games, 2 starts
Ligue 1
Quentin Westberg, GK, Evian Thonon Gaillard -- Not in the 18 for Evian's 2-0 loss to Marseille on Wednesday or for Evian's 4-2 loss to Caen on Saturday. SEASON: 3 games, 3 starts, 8 saves, 3 goals allowed, 1 clean sheet
Eredivisie
Jozy Altidore, F, AZ Alkmaar -- Not in the 18 for AZ's 4-2 victory over Groningen in the second round of the KNVB Beker (Dutch Cup) on Thursday. Altidore started and played 69 minutes in AZ's 2-1 victory over Feyenoord in league play on Sunday. SEASON: 10 games, 7 starts, 6 goals
Primeira Liga
Oguchi Onyewu, D, Sporting Lisbon -- Started, played 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card in Sporting's 3-0 victory over Vitoria Setubal on Saturday. SEASON: 4 games, 4 starts, 1 goal
Jupiler League
Sacha Kljestan, M, RSC Anderlecht -- In the 18, did not play in Anderlecht's 4-0 victory over Lommel United in the sixth round of the Belgian Cup on Wednesday. Kljestan started and played 90 minutes in Anderlecht's 3-2 victory over Beerschot in league play on Sunday. SEASON: 10 games, 10 starts, 1 goal
Premier League
Alejandro Bedoya, M, Rangers FC -- Started, played 59 minutes in Rangers' 3-2 loss to Falkirk in the third round of the League Cup on Wednesday. Bedoya was in the 18 and came on as a 74th-minute substitute in Rangers' 4-0 victory over Dunfermline Athletic in league play on Saturday. SEASON: 19 games, 16 starts, 4 goals (16 games, 15 starts, 4 goals with Orebro SK)
Carlos Bocanegra, D, Rangers FC -- Started, played 90 minutes in Rangers' 3-2 loss to Falkirk in the third round of the League Cup on Wednesday. Bocanegra started, played 90 minutes and scored the opening goal in the 9th minute of Rangers' 4-0 victory over Dunfermline Athletic in league play on Saturday. Bocanegra did well to position himself and make solid contact for a header off a corner kick. SEASON: 8 games, 8 starts, 2 goals (1 game, 1 start with St. Etienne)
Dominic Cervi, GK, Celtic FC -- Not in the 18 for Celtic's 2-0 victory over Ross County in the third round of the League Cup on Wednesday or for Celtic's 2-0 victory over Inverness Caledonian Thistle in league play on Saturday. SEASON: 0 games
Maurice Edu, M, Rangers FC -- Not in the 18 for Rangers' 3-2 loss to Falkirk in the third round of the League Cup on Wednesday. Edu started, played 90 minutes and scored a 17th-minute goal in Rangers' 4-0 victory over Dunfermline Athletic in league play on Saturday. Edu shifted the ball to his left foot and laced a shot from outside the box just inside the left post to give Rangers a 2-0 lead. SEASON: 11 games, 11 starts, 2 goals
Primera Division
DaMarcus Beasley, M, Puebla -- Started, played 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card in Puebla's 2-1 loss to Santos Laguna on Sunday. SEASON: 10 games, 10 starts, 1 goal
Jonathan Bornstein, D, Tigres UANL -- Not in the 18 for Tigres' 1-1 draw with Jaguares on Saturday. SEASON: 0 games
Edgar Castillo, D, Club America -- Not in the 18 for America's 1-1 draw with Tijuana on Sunday. SEASON: 7 games, 5 starts
Joe Corona, F, Tijuana -- In the 18, came on as a 68th-minute substitute in Tijuana's 1-1 draw with Club America on Sunday. SEASON: 8 games, 7 starts, 2 goals
Michael Orozco Fiscal, D, San Luis -- Started, played 90 minutes in San Luis' 1-1 draw with Pachuca on Saturday. SEASON: 8 games, 7 starts
Herculez Gomez, F, Estudiantes Tecos -- Started, played 64 minutes and scored a 28th-minute goal in Tecos' 2-1 loss to Pumas UNAM on Saturday. Gomez showcased his aerial ability by latching onto a long pass and redirecting a header, tying up the score at the time. SEASON: 10 games, 5 starts, 4 goals
Sonny Guadarrama, M, Atlante -- In the 18, did not play in Atlante's 3-2 victory over Atlas on Saturday. SEASON: 1 game
Adrian Ruelas, F, Jaguares -- Not in the 18 for Jaguares' 1-1 draw with Tigres UANL on Saturday. SEASON: 0 games
Jose Francisco Torres, M, Pachuca -- Not in the 18 for Pachuca's 1-1 draw with San Luis on Saturday. Torres had foot surgery to repair a metatarsal and has been ruled out by Pachuca for the rest of the Apertura season, which lasts until the end of November. SEASON: 8 games, 7 starts
Allsvenskanliga
Ryan Miller, D, Halmstads BK -- Started, played 90 minutes in Halmstads' 5-1 loss to Malmo FF on Wednesday. Miller also started and played 90 minutes in Halmstads' 1-0 loss to Syrianska FC on Saturday. SEASON: 17 games, 12 starts
Samuel Petrone, F, Mjallby -- In the 18, did not play in Mjallby's 2-1 victory over Elfsborg on Saturday. SEASON: 4 games
Superliga
Clarence Goodson, D, Brondby IF -- Started, played 90 minutes in Brondby's 4-0 victory over Elite 3000 in the third round of the Landspokal (Danish Cup) on Wednesday. Goodson also started and played 90 minutes in Brondby's 2-1 loss to FC Copenhagen in league play on Saturday. SEASON: 12 games, 12 starts
Conor O'Brien, M, Sonderjyske -- In the 18, came on as a second-half substitute and scored the game-winning goal in the 70th minute of Sonderjyske's 1-0 victory over Svebolle in the third round of the Landspokal on Wednesday. O'Brien also started, played 78 minutes and picked up a yellow card in Sonderjyske's 0-0 draw with HB Koge in league play on Sunday. SEASON: 9 games, 7 starts, 2 goals
Michael Parkhurst, D, FC Nordsjaelland -- Started, played 90 minutes in Nordsjaelland's 2-0 victory over Hjorring in the third round of the Landspokal on Wednesday. Parkhurst also started and played 90 minutes in Nordsjaelland's 1-0 loss to AGF Aarhus in league play on Saturday. SEASON: 13 games, 13 starts
Chris Rolfe, F, Aalborg BK -- In the 18, came on as a 68th-minute substitute in Aalborg's 2-1 loss to Lyngby on Monday. SEASON: 11 games, 9 starts, 2 goals
Brad Rusin, D, HB Koge -- Not in the 18 for Koge's 0-0 draw with Sonderjyske on Sunday. SEASON: 6 games, 6 starts, 2 goals
Tippeligaen
Sean Cunningham, D, Molde FK -- Not in the 18 for Molde's 0-0 draw with Viking on Friday. SEASON: 2 games, 2 starts
Mikkel Diskerud, M, Stabaek -- Started, played 90 minutes in Stabaek's 1-0 loss to Stromsgodset on Saturday. SEASON: 26 games, 26 starts, 3 goals
Josh Gatt, M/D, Molde FK -- Started, played 90 minutes in Molde's 0-0 draw with Viking on Friday. SEASON: 25 games, 17 starts, 5 goals