Clint Dempsey, Jozy Altidore strike loudly; Americans Abroad

Clint Dempsey and Tottenham Hotspur are in fourth place in the Premier League, three clear of Everton.

Kieran Galvin/Icon SMI

As a horde of U.S. national team hopefuls compete in training camp in California, hoping to win over Jurgen Klinsmann for World Cup qualifiers and Gold Cup matches, the current batch of A-listers were going about their business to ensure they don't lose their standing in the player pool anytime soon.

Clint Dempsey had the most notable moment of the past week, notching a dramatic game-tying goal against Manchester United for Tottenham. During a time when Dempsey is out to prove his worth to Andre Villas-Boas that he can pair with Jermain Defoe up top while Emmanuel Adebayor is with Togo for the African Cup of Nations, Dempsey scored against the Premier League's top dog for the second time this season. He scored his first goal with Tottenham at Old Trafford in September, and that eventual game-winner combined with his stoppage-time equalizer Sunday means that he is directly responsible for four points that Spurs have taken off the Red Devils.

Not to be outdone, Jozy Altidore recorded his second hat trick this season, torching Vitesse for three goals in a 22-minute span to lift AZ Alkmaar to a win. Altidore scored his first on a run to the far post for an unmarked header, notched his second on a diving header from the right edge of the six-yard box and capped his landmark day with a close-range finish with his right foot after settling a cross off his chest and firing on goal. He now trails just Ivory Coast international Wilfried Bony, who has 16 goals, in the race for the league's Golden Boot. Altidore's 14 non-penalty goals are tied with Bony for the most in the league.

One of Altidore's former teams, Bursaspor, welcomed playing time-starved Maurice Edu on loan from Stoke City, a move that paid immediate dividends for the U.S. midfielder. In one day with Bursaspor, Edu played two-and-a-half more times as much as he did in almost five months with Stoke, pitching in 25 minutes off the bench for the Super Lig's fifth-place team before really having a chance to be integrated with the club.

Elsewhere among midfielders, Stuart Holden made his long-awaited return to Bolton's first team as a substitute in the FA Cup before being held out of the club's league game over the weekend as the Trotters ease him back into action. Michael Bradley continued his consistent, first-class play for Roma, helping the Italian club get by Fiorentina and into the semifinals of the Coppa Italia in addition to winning a penalty off Inter Milan in the clubs' draw over the weekend.

Easy to be overlooked amid attacking exploits but important considering the first World Cup qualifying hexagonal game is approaching, Tim Howard recorded his second straight clean sheet for Everton to preserve points in a game in which his team did not score.

With some of the top U.S. national team stars turning in fine performances and leagues in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium returning to action after a brief winter break, here is how the Americans playing abroad fared this past week (season statistics encompass all competitions):

England

Premier League

Geoff Cameron, D/M, Stoke City - Started, played 120 minutes and picked up a yellow card in Stoke's 4-1, extra-time win over Crystal Palace in their FA Cup third-round replay Tuesday. Cameron also started and played 90 minutes in Stoke's 3-1 loss to Swansea City in league play Saturday. SEASON: 24 games, 23 starts

Cody Cropper, GK, Southampton - Not in the 18 for Southampton's 2-2 draw with Chelsea on Wednesday or for a 0-0 draw with Everton on Monday. SEASON: 0 games

Clint Dempsey, M/F, Tottenham -- Started, played 90 minutes and scored a stoppage-time equalizer in Tottenham's 1-1 draw with Manchester United on Sunday. Dempsey rifled home a cross from Aaron Lennon from the center of the box to salvage a point for Spurs and set off a raucous celebration at White Hart Lane. SEASON: 27 games, 21 starts, 7 goals

Brad Friedel, GK, Tottenham -- In the 18, did not play in Tottenham's 1-1 draw with Manchester United. SEASON: 12 games, 12 starts, 17 goals allowed, 1 clean sheet

Brad Guzan, GK, Aston Villa -- Started, played 90 minutes and made four saves in Villa's 2-2 draw with West Brom on Saturday. SEASON: 22 games, 22 starts, 40 goals allowed, 6 clean sheets

Tim Howard, GK, Everton - Started, played 90 minutes and made four saves in Everton's 0-0 draw with Southampton on Monday. SEASON: 24 games, 24 starts, 26 goals allowed, 4 clean sheets

Eric Lichaj, D, Aston Villa -- In the 18, came on as a fifth-minute substitute and picked up a yellow card in Villa's 2-2 draw with West Brom. SEASON: 20 games, 12 starts

League Championship

Conor Doyle, F, Derby County - Not in the 18 for Derby County's 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest on Saturday. SEASON: 3 games, 1 start

Stuart Holden, M, Bolton - In the 18, came on as a 74th-minute substitute in Bolton's 2-0 win over Sunderland in their FA Cup third-round replay Tuesday. Holden was not in the 18 for a 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace in league play Saturday. SEASON: 1 game

Tim Ream, D, Bolton - In the 18, did not play in Bolton's 2-0 win over Sunderland in the FA Cup. Ream started and played 90 minutes in a 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace in league play. SEASON: 14 games, 12 starts

Jonathan Spector, D/M, Birmingham City - Not in the 18 for Birmingham 2-1 loss to Leeds United in their FA Cup third-round replay Tuesday or a 2-2 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion in league play Saturday. SEASON: 23 games, 19 starts, 1 goal

Zak Whitbread, D, Leicester City - Not in the 18 for Leicester City's 1-0 win over Middlesbrough on Friday. SEASON: 15 games, 14 starts, 1 goal

League One

Mike Grella, F, Scunthorpe United - Scunthorpe's match against Portsmouth scheduled for Saturday was postponed on account of a frozen pitch. SEASON: 17 games, 11 starts, 2 goals

Frank Simek, D, Carlisle United - Carlisle's match at Crawley Town scheduled for Saturday was postponed on account of a frozen pitch. SEASON: 27 games, 25 starts

Germany

Bundesliga

Timmy Chandler, D, FC Nurnberg -- Started, played 65 minutes in Nurnberg's 1-1 draw with Hamburg SV on Sunday. Chandler departed the game with an apparent head injury. SEASON: 19 games, 19 starts, 1 goal

Steve Cherundolo, D, Hannover 96 - Not in the 18 for Hannover's 5-4 loss to Schalke on Friday. SEASON: 28 games, 27 starts

Fabian Johnson, D, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim - Started, played 90 minutes in Hoffenheim's 0-0 draw with Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday. SEASON: 18 games, 18 starts, 3 goals

Jermaine Jones, M, FC Schalke 04 -- Not in the 18 for Schalke's 5-4 win over Hannover on Friday. Jones is suspended until Feb. 2 for a red card he received prior to the league's winter break and is also dealing with a minor knee injury. SEASON: 21 games, 18 starts, 1 goal

Michael Parkhurst, D, FC Augsburg - In the 18, did not play in Augsburg's 3-2 win over Fortuna Dusseldorf on Sunday. SEASON: 21 games, 20 starts, 2 goals (all with FC Nordsjaelland)

Danny Williams, D/M, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim - In the 18, came on as a 36th-minute substitute in Hoffenheim's 0-0 draw with Borussia Monchengladbach. SEASON: 14 games, 12 starts, 1 goal

Italy

Serie A

Michael Bradley, M, AS Roma - Started, played 120 minutes and picked up a yellow card in Roma's 1-0 win over Fiorentina in the quarterfinals of the Coppa Italia on Wednesday. The win sets up a two-legged semifinal clash with Inter Milan, with the first leg slated for Wednesday. Bradley also started. played 90 minutes and drew a penalty that led to a goal in Roma's 1-1 draw with Inter in league play Sunday. SEASON: 17 games, 16 starts, 1 goal

Spain

Primera Division

Oguchi Onyewu, D, Malaga -- In the 18, did not play in Malaga's 2-2 draw with Barcelona in the first leg of the Copa del Rey quarterfinals Wednesday. Onyewu was not in the 18 for a1-1 draw with Celta de Vigo in league play Saturday. SEASON: 8 games, 7 starts, 2 goals

Segunda Division

Carlos Bocanegra, D, Racing Santander -- Started, played 90 minutes in Racing Santander's 1-0 loss to Las Palmas on Saturday. SEASON: 17 games, 17 starts (7 games, 7 starts with Rangers)

Netherlands

Eredivisie

Jozy Altidore, F, AZ Alkmaar -- Started, played 90 minutes and notched a hat trick in AZ's 4-1 win over Vitesse on Saturday. Altidore scored three goals in 22 minutes in the second half, all from about six yards or closer, for his second hat trick of the season, bringing his league goal total to 14. SEASON: 25 games, 25 starts, 18 goals

Belgium

Pro League

Sacha Kljestan, M, RSC Anderlecht - Started, played 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card in Anderlecht's 1-0 win over Gent in the second leg of their Belgian Cup quarterfinal Wednesday. Anderlecht advanced on a 2-1 aggregate and will face Genk in the semifinals. Anderlecht's league game against Zulte-Waregem scheduled for Sunday was postponed by snow. SEASON: 31 games, 24 starts, 2 goals

Turkey

Super Lig

Maurice Edu, M, Bursaspor - In the 18, came on as a 65th-minute substitute in Bursaspor's 2-1 win over Kayserispor on Saturday. The minutes were Edu's first since playing 10 off the bench in Stoke City's match against Liverpool on Oct. 7. SEASON: 2 games (1 game with Stoke City)

Portugal

Primeira Liga

Caleb Patterson-Sewell, GK, Vitoria Setubal - In the 18, did not play in Vitoria Setubal's 4-1 loss to Sporting Braga on Sunday. SEASON: 5 games, 5 starts, 12 goals allowed, 1 goal

Tony Taylor, F, Estoril Praia - Not in the 18 for Estoril's 2-1 loss to Gil Vicente on Sunday. SEASON: 9 games, 3 starts

Mexico

Liga MX

DaMarcus Beasley, M, Puebla - Not in the 18 for Puebla's 4-0 win over Celaya in the Copa MX on Thursday. Beasley was in the 18 and came on in the 69th minute of a 2-1 win over Santos Laguna in league play Sunday. SEASON: 3 games, 2 starts

Jonathan Bornstein, D, Tigres UANL - Not in the 18 for Tigres' 1-0 win over Atlas on Saturday. SEASON: 0 games

Edgar Castillo, D, Tijuana - Started, played 90 minutes in Tijuana's 2-1 win over Pumas UNAM on Sunday. SEASON: 3 games, 3 starts

Joe Corona, M, Tijuana - Not in the 18 for Tijuana's 2-1 win over Pumas UNAM. SEASON: 2 games, 2 starts

Michael Orozco Fiscal, D, Puebla - Started, played the first half of Puebla's 4-0 win over Celaya in the Copa MX. Orozco Fiscal also started and played the first half in a 2-1 win over Santos Laguna in league play. SEASON: 4 games, 4 starts

Greg Garza, D/M, Tijuana - Not in the 18 for Tijuana's 2-1 victory over Pumas UNAM. SEASON: 0 games

Herculez Gomez, F, Santos Laguna - Started, played 90 minutes in Santos Laguna's 2-1 loss to Puebla on Sunday. SEASON: 3 games, 3 starts, 1 goal

Benji Joya, M, Santos Laguna - Not in the 18 for Santos Laguna's 2-1 loss to Puebla. SEASON: 0 games

Jose Torres, M, Tigres UANL - Started, played 71 minutes in Tigres' 1-0 win over Atlas. SEASON: 2 games, 2 starts