Americans Abroad: Friedel's record streak ends unceremoniously

When Hugo Lloris signed with Tottenham on the final day of the summer transfer window, the writing began to be etched on Brad Friedel's wall. Lloris, France's No. 1 goalkeeper and one of the most highly regarded young keepers in the world, did not move from Lyon to idly sit and only play in cup games while Friedel maintained the starting role full-time, nor did Tottenham spend big money to lure a goalkeeper of Lloris' quality for him to be a backup.

Considering that, it is not a shock that Friedel's Premier League record streak of consecutive starts came to an end this season. That his stretch of 310 straight came to an end so abruptly, unceremoniously and without any fanfare whatsoever Sunday at White Hart Lane, though, is quite unfortunate. What the 41-year-old Friedel has been able to do over the past eight years, standing the test of time, avoiding injury and maintaining his quality in different settings and for different managers at Blackburn, Aston Villa and Tottenham, has been nothing short of astounding. As much as Cal Ripken Jr.'s consecutive games played streak in baseball is revered in the United States, Friedel's streak was seemingly met with almost an indifferent acknowledgement overseas, as perhaps his place between the posts was taken for granted all this time.

Friedel's time at Tottenham is far from done, and, by all accounts and based on comments made by 34-year-old Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas, he will be locked in a time share and competition with Lloris the rest of this season. As he turns the page on a legendary achievement, Friedel has passed the active start streak baton to fellow American Tim Howard, the Everton stalwart and former USA teammate of Friedel who is at 190 and about four years of injury-free and form-dropping-free soccer away from supplanting Friedel in the record books. Before everyone else turns the page on Friedel, who has set the bar for American longevity at the highest level in England, though, his historic run deserves a higher degree of acknowledgment, especially from those in the league where he has become a fixture for so long.

Another American who likely deserved better this week was Dutch-league leading scorer Jozy Altidore, who was harshly sent off during AZ Alkmaar's match with FC Twente for receiving consecutive yellow cards within seconds of each other for dissent and had that followed up by shockingly being left off of Jurgen Klinsmann's roster for the United States' upcoming World Cup qualifiers. The focus on Altidore overshadowed some major achievements over the weekend, as Michael Bradley returned to AS Roma's lineup after being out for more than a month and marked his return with his first goal for the club; forwards Terrence Boyd and Herculez Gomez each scored goals in their respective clubs' 1-1 draws and Maurice Edu made his long-awaited debut for Stoke City, doing so at storied Anfield while helping see out a 0-0 draw for the Potters against Liverpool. Here is how they and the other Americans playing abroad fared this past week (season statistics encompass all competitions):

Premier League

Geoff Cameron, D/M, Stoke City - Started, played 90 minutes in Stoke City's 0-0 draw with Liverpool on Sunday.SEASON: 7 games, 6 starts

Cody Cropper, GK, Southampton - Not in the 18 for Southampton's 2-2 draw with Fulham on Sunday.SEASON: 0 games

Clint Dempsey, M/F, Tottenham - Started, played 67 minutes in Tottenham's 1-1 draw with Panathinaikos in their UEFA Europa League group stage match Thursday. Dempsey also started and played 82 minutes in a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa in league play Sunday.SEASON: 7 games, 7 starts, 1 goal

Maurice Edu, D/M, Stoke City - In the 18, entered as an 80th-minute substitute in Stoke's 0-0 draw with Liverpool.SEASON: 1 game

Brad Friedel, GK, Tottenham - Not in the 18 for Tottenham's 1-1 draw with Panathinaikos in the Europa League group stage. In the 18, did not play in a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa in league play, snapping his consecutive Premier League starts streak of 310.SEASON: 6 games, 6 starts, 8 goals allowed

Brad Guzan, GK, Aston Villa - Started, played 90 minutes and made four saves in Villa's 2-0 loss to Tottenham on Sunday.SEASON: 6 games, 6 starts, 8 goals allowed, 2 clean sheets

Tim Howard, GK, Everton - Started, played 90 minutes and made one save in Everton's 2-2 draw with Wigan Athletic on Saturday.SEASON: 7 games, 7 starts, 8 goals allowed, 2 clean sheets

Eric Lichaj, D, Aston Villa - In the 18, did not play in Villa's 2-0 loss to Tottenham.SEASON: 6 games, 4 starts

League Championship

Conor Doyle, F, Derby County - Not in the 18 for Derby County's 2-2 draw with Middlesbrough on Wednesday or its 0-0 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.SEASON: 2 games, 1 start

Stuart Holden, M, Bolton - Not in the 18 for Bolton's 2-2 draw with Leeds United on Tuesday or its 2-1 loss to Millwall on Saturday.SEASON: 0 games

Will Packwood, D/M, Birmingham City - Started, played 51 minutes in Birmingham's 2-1 loss to Cardiff City on Tuesday. Packwood was not in the 18 for its 1-0 loss to Huddersfield Town on Saturday.SEASON: 4 games, 4 starts

Tim Ream, D, Bolton - In the 18, did not play in Bolton's 2-2 draw with Leeds United and its 2-1 loss to Millwall.SEASON: 3 games, 3 starts

Jonathan Spector, D/M, Birmingham City - Started, played 90 minutes in Birmingham's 2-1 loss to Cardiff City and its 1-0 loss to Huddersfield Town.SEASON: 11 games, 10 starts, 1 goal

Zak Whitbread, D, Leicester City - In the 18, did not play in Leicester City's 2-0 victory over Huddersfield Town on Tuesday. Whitbread was in the 18 and came on as a 62nd-minute substitute in its 2-0 win over Bristol City on Saturday.SEASON: 2 games, 1 start

League One

Mike Grella, F, Scunthorpe United - In the 18, came on as an 81st-minute substitute in Scunthorpe's 3-1 loss to Tranmere Rovers on Tuesday. Grella started and played 90 minutes in its 1-0 loss to Stevenage on Saturday.SEASON: 11 games, 8 starts, 2 goals

Robbie Rogers, M, Stevenage - Not in the 18 for Stevenage's 2-1 victory over Notts County on Tuesday. Rogers was in the 18, but did not play in its 1-0 win over Scunthorpe United on Saturday.SEASON: 4 games, 3 starts

Frank Simek, D, Carlisle United - In the 18, did not play in Carlisle's 2-1 victory over Walsall on Saturday.SEASON: 9 games, 8 starts

Bundesliga

Timmy Chandler, D, FC Nurnberg - Started, played 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card in Nurnberg's 3-0 loss to SC Freiburg on Saturday.SEASON: 8 games, 8 starts, 1 goal

Steve Cherundolo, D, Hannover 96 - Started, played 90 minutes in Hannover's 2-1 victory over Levante in their Europa League group stage match Thursday. Cherundolo also started, played 81 minutes and picked up a yellow card in its 1-1 draw with Borussia Dortmund in league play Sunday.SEASON: 14 games, 14 starts

Fabian Johnson, D, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim - Started, played 90 minutes in Hoffenheim's 2-0 loss to Bayern Munich on Saturday.SEASON: 7 games, 7 starts, 2 goals

Jermaine Jones, M, FC Schalke 04 - Not in the 18 for Schalke's 2-2 draw with Montpellier in their UEFA Champions League group stage game Wednesday or a 3-0 win over Wolfsburg in league play Saturday. Jones missed both matches with an ankle injury, but he was deemed fit enough to join the U.S. national team this week ahead of upcoming World Cup qualifying matches.SEASON: 6 games, 6 starts, 1 goal

Danny Williams, M, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim - Started, played 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card in Hoffenheim's 2-0 loss to Bayern Munich.SEASON: 6 games, 5 starts, 1 goal

2. Bundesliga

John Anthony Brooks, D, Hertha Berlin - Started, played 90 minutes in Berlin's 3-0 victory over 1860 Munich on Friday.SEASON: 6 games, 3 starts

Joe Gyau, M, St. Pauli - Not in the 18 for St. Pauli's 2-2 draw with Union Berlin on Friday.SEASON: 1 game

Alfredo Morales, D, Hertha Berlin - In the 18, did not play in Berlin's 3-0 victory over 1860 Munich.SEASON: 1 game

Andrew Wooten, F, SV Sandhausen - Started, played 90 minutes and assisted on a goal in Sandhausen's 1-0 victory over Aalen on Sunday.SEASON: 3 games, 1 start

Serie A

Michael Bradley, M, AS Roma - Started, played 72 minutes and scored the final goal in Roma's 2-0 victory over Atalanta on Sunday. Bradley finished off an overlapping run down the left and was positioned to fire home off a rebound from a saved shot to mark his return to the lineup after spending more than a month out with a thigh injury.SEASON: 2 games, 2 starts, 1 goal

Primera Division

Oguchi Onyewu, D, Malaga - Not in the 18 for Malaga's 3-0 victory over Anderlecht in their Champions League group stage match Wednesday. Onyewu was in the 18 but did not play in a 2-1 loss to Atletico Madrid in league play Sunday.SEASON: 0 games

Segunda Division

Carlos Bocanegra, D, Racing Santander - Started, played 90 minutes in Racing Santander's 1-0 loss to Real Murcia on Saturday.SEASON: 10 games, 10 starts (7 games, 7 starts with Rangers)

Eredivisie

Jozy Altidore, F, AZ Alkmaar - Started, played 52 minutes and was sent off for consecutive yellow cards for dissent in AZ's 3-0 loss to FC Twente on Sunday.SEASON: 11 games, 11 starts, 9 goals

Pro League

Sacha Kljestan, M, RSC Anderlecht - In the 18, came on as a halftime substitute in Anderlecht's 3-0 loss to Malaga in their Champions League group stage match Wednesday. Kljestan was in the 18 but did not play in a 2-1 loss to Standard Liege in league play Sunday.SEASON: 15 games, 8 starts, 1 goal

Primeira Liga

Caleb Patterson-Sewell, GK, Vitoria Setubal - Not in the 18 for Vitoria Setubal's 0-0 draw with Pacos de Ferreira on Sunday.SEASON: 2 games, 2 starts, 7 goals allowed

Tony Taylor, F, Estoril Praia - In the 18, came on as a halftime substitute in Estoril's 3-1 loss to Rio Ave on Sunday.SEASON: 4 games, 2 starts

Bundesliga

Terrence Boyd, F, Rapid Vienna - In the 18, did not play in Rapid Vienna's 2-0 loss to Metalist Kharkiv in their Europa League group stage match Thursday. Boyd started, played 90 minutes and scored a late equalizer in a 1-1 draw with Wiener Neustadt in league play Sunday. Boyd made a near-post run from the center of the area and one-timed home a cross from the right to net the tying goal and help deliver a point to his club.SEASON: 15 games, 14 starts, 7 goals

Liga MX

DaMarcus Beasley, M, Puebla - Not in the 18 for Puebla's 2-0 victory over Pachuca on Wednesday or for a 2-1 victory over Tigres UANL on Saturday.SEASON: 11 games, 11 starts

Jonathan Bornstein, D, Tigres UANL - Not in the 18 for Tigres' 2-1 loss to Chivas de Guadalajara on Tuesday. Bornstein was in the 18, but did not play in a 2-1 loss to Puebla on Saturday.SEASON: 2 games, 1 start

Edgar Castillo, D, Tijuana - Started, played 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card in Tijuana's 1-1 draw with Monterrey on Wednesday. Castillo also started and played 90 minutes in Tijuana's 1-0 victory over Toluca on Sunday.SEASON: 11 games, 11 starts

Joe Corona, M, Tijuana - Started, played 55 minutes in Tijuana's 1-1 draw with Monterrey. Corona was in the 18 and came on as a 63rd-minute substitute in a 1-0 victory over Toluca.SEASON: 13 games, 10 starts

Michael Orozco Fiscal, D, San Luis - In the 18, did not play in San Luis' 2-1 loss to Club America on Tuesday. Orozco started and played 90 minutes in a 4-0 loss to Jaguares on Sunday.SEASON: 11 games, 9 starts, 1 goal

Greg Garza, D, Tijuana - Not in the 18 for Tijuana's 1-1 draw with Monterrey or for a 1-0 victory over Toluca.SEASON: 9 games, 7 starts

Herculez Gomez, F, Santos Laguna - In the 18, did not play in Santos Laguna's 2-1 victory over Atlas on Wednesday. Gomez started, played 64 minutes and scored the opening goal of a 1-1 draw with Queretaro on Saturday. Gomez timed his run to separate from the center back and get in behind the defense, received a pass in the box and took a touch to settle before rounding the goalkeeper and finishing into an empty net.SEASON: 9 games, 7 starts, 3 goals

Benji Joya, M, Santos Laguna - Started, played 45 minutes in Santos Laguna's 2-1 victory over Atlas. Joya was in the 18, but did not play in a 1-1 draw with Queretaro.SEASON: 3 games, 1 start

Jose Francisco Torres, M, Pachuca - Started, played 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card in Pachuca's 2-0 loss to Puebla on Wednesday. Torres was in the 18, but did not play in Pachuca's 1-1 draw with Leon on Saturday.SEASON: 11 games, 10 starts, 2 goals

Superliga

Charlie Davies, F, Randers - In the 18, did not play in Randers' 2-1 victory over FC Midtjylland on Sunday.SEASON: 10 games, 2 starts

Clarence Goodson, D, Brondby - Not in the 18 for Brondby's 3-1 loss to Aalborg BK on Sunday.SEASON: 9 games, 9 starts, 1 goal

Conor O'Brien, M/F, Sonderjyske - Started, played 90 minutes in Sonderjyske's 3-0 loss to AGF Aarhus on Saturday.SEASON: 12 games, 12 starts, 3 goals

Michael Parkhurst, D, FC Nordsjaelland - Started, played 90 minutes in Nordsjaelland's 4-0 loss to Chelsea in their Champions League group stage match on Tuesday. Parkhurst also started and played 81 minutes in Nordsjaelland's 3-0 loss to Odense BK in league play on Friday.SEASON: 12 games, 12 starts, 2 goals

Tippeligaen

Chad Barrett, F, Valerenga - In the 18, did not play in Valerenga's 1-1 draw with Stromsgodset on Friday.SEASON: 5 games, 5 starts

Steve Clark, GK, Honefoss - Started, played 90 minutes in Honefoss' 3-2 loss to Brann on Monday.SEASON: 25 games, 25 starts, 32 goals allowed, 8 clean sheets

Sean Cunningham, D, Stabaek - Not in the 18 for Stabaek's 1-0 loss to Tromso on Sunday.SEASON: 21 games, 21 starts

Mix Diskerud, M, Rosenborg - Not in the 18 for Rosenborg's 1-0 loss to Bayer Leverkusen in their Europa League group stage match Thursday or for a 1-0 victory over Odd Grenland in league play Sunday.SEASON: 9 games, 8 starts, 2 goals

Josh Gatt, M, Molde - In the 18, came on as an 81st-minute substitute in Molde's 2-0 victory over Stuttgart in their Europa League group stage match Thursday. Gatt also started and played the first half of a 3-2 victory over Sandnes Ulf in league play Sunday as he continues to make his way back from a hamstring injury that sidelined him for about a month.SEASON: 22 games, 18 starts, 6 goals

Allsvenskan

Alejandro Bedoya, M, Helsingborg IF - Started, played 41 minutes before exiting with a rib injury in Helsingborg's 2-2 draw with FC Twente in their Europa League group stage match Thursday. Bedoya was not in the 18 for a 2-0 victory over Mjallby in league play Sunday.SEASON: 9 games, 8 starts, 1 goal

Brian Span, M, Djurgarden IF - Not in the 18 for Djurgarden's 2-2 draw with Kalmar on Sunday.SEASON: 9 games, 2 starts, 1 goal