Beasley, 30, shows he's still valuable for club, country
DaMarcus Beasley (left) was recalled to the national team for matches against Costa Rica and Mexico.
Miguel Tovar/Getty Images
In a time of seemingly constant flux for the U.S. men's national team, DaMarcus Beasley remains a link between past and present.
The 30-year-old Beasley's staying power has to be one of the most under-appreciated feats among U.S. internationals. Just three caps shy of the 100 milestone -- which only 12 other U.S. players have reached -- Beasley's recent showings with Mexican top-flight side Puebla, coupled with the USA's need for capable wingers, was just cause for Jurgen Klinsmann to call on him for upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Costa Rica and Mexico and potentially get Beasley within one of the century mark. Between the number of injuries he has endured while battling Father Time, it would not have been unexpected to see Beasley fizzle out into the waning days of his playing career. Instead, he is where he has been for more than a decade: part of a group trying to qualify for another World Cup.
"Beas overall has played a good first part of his season right now," Klinsmann said on a conference call following the release of the U.S. roster Monday. "Beas is just a wonderful player, because he can solve you different things on the field in different positions if needed. His personality is always a giving personality to the group, to our team, and so we always followed him over the last 18 months, especially [U.S. assistant coach] Martin Vazquez. He went down to Puebla for the Under-20 championship, he met with the people at Puebla, he watched a training session of Beasley, talked to them, talked to the coach so we knew exactly where he was at right now. and therefore we're happy to have him back again in the group."
Beasley's shiftiness, pace and versatility remain his chief assets, and while he may not be in the prime of his career anymore, he is still playing a key role for a team fighting for a place in the Clausura Liguilla (eight-team playoffs) and is in the semifinals of the Copa MX cup competition. Beasley scored his third goal of the season for Puebla this past week in the Copa MX quarterfinals against Pachuca, running onto an overhead volleyed pass from a teammate in the box and splitting two defenders. He had his initial shot saved but stayed alert to slot home the rebound, and his wisdom and experience -- 11 years ago he was on the U.S. roster for the 2002 World Cup -- are going to be valuable for a hobbled U.S. team in dire need of both.
Beasley was not the only U.S. call-up to score this past week, as Jozy Altidore added to his career year with his 25th goal in all competitions, and Herculez Gomez notched another tally in the CONCACAF Champions League to help Santos Laguna reach the semifinals. Here is how they and the rest of the Americans abroad contingent fared (season statistics encompass all competitions):
England
Premier League
Geoff Cameron, D/M, Stoke City -- Started, played 90 minutes in Stoke City's 0-0 draw with West Brom on Saturday. SEASON: 30 games, 28 starts
Cody Cropper, GK, Southampton -- Not in the 18 for Southampton's 3-1 win over Liverpool on Saturday. SEASON: 0 games
Clint Dempsey, M/F, Tottenham -- Not in the 18 for Tottenham's 4-1 loss (but 4-4 aggregate win on away goals) to Inter Milan in the second leg of their Europa League round of 16 tie Thursday. Dempsey was in the 18 and came on as a halftime substitute in a 1-0 loss to Fulham in league play Sunday, his return from almost a month-long absence with a calf injury. SEASON: 34 games, 25 starts, 8 goals
Brad Friedel, GK, Tottenham -- Started, played 120 minutes and made 12 saves in Tottenham's 4-1 loss to Inter Milan in the Europa League. Friedel was in the 18 but did not play in a 1-0 loss to Fulham in league play. SEASON: 17 games, 17 starts, 25 goals allowed, 2 starts
Brad Guzan, GK, Aston Villa -- Started, played 90 minutes and made five saves in Villa's 3-2 win over Queens Park Rangers on Saturday. SEASON: 29 games, 29 starts, 53 goals allowed, 6 clean sheets
Tim Howard, GK, Everton -- Not in the 18 for Everton's 2-0 victory over Manchester City on Saturday. SEASON: 31 games, 31 starts, 38 goals allowed, 4 clean sheets
Eric Lichaj, D, Aston Villa -- Not in the 18 for Villa's 3-2 win over Queens Park Rangers. SEASON: 21 games, 13 starts
Brek Shea, M, Stoke City -- Not in the 18 for Stoke's 0-0 draw with West Brom. SEASON: 2 goals
League Championship
Conor Doyle, F, Derby County -- In the 18, did not play in Derby County's 2-1 victory over Leicester City on Saturday. SEASON: 3 games, 1 start
Stuart Holden, M, Bolton -- In the 18, did not play in Bolton's 1-0 loss to Ipswich Town on Saturday. SEASON: 3 games
Tim Ream, D, Bolton -- Not in the 18 for Bolton's 1-0 loss to Ipswich Town. SEASON: 16 games, 14 starts
Jonathan Spector, D/M, Birmingham City -- Started, exited in the fourth minute with an apparent ankle injury in Birmingham's 1-0 win over Middlesbrough on Saturday. SEASON: 29 games, 25 starts, 1 goal
Zak Whitbread, D, Leicester City -- In the 18, did not play in Leicester City's 1-1 draw with Cardiff City on Tuesday and a 2-1 loss to Derby County on Saturday. SEASON: 15 games, 14 starts, 1 goal
League One
Mike Grella, F, Scunthorpe United -- In the 18, did not play in Scunthorpe's 1-0 loss to Notts County on Saturday. SEASON: 23 games, 12 starts, 2 goals
Frank Simek, D, Carlisle United -- Started, played 90 minutes in Carlisle's 4-1 loss to Leyton Orient on Saturday. SEASON: 38 games, 36 starts
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Germany
Bundesliga
Timmy Chandler, D, FC Nurnberg -- Started, played 84 minutes in Nurnberg's 3-0 win over Schalke on Saturday. SEASON: 26 games, 26 starts, 1 goal
Steve Cherundolo, D, Hannover 96 -- Not in the 18 for Hannover's 1-0 loss to Borussia Monchengladbach on Sunday. SEASON: 28 games, 27 starts
Fabian Johnson, D, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim -- Not in the 18 for Hoffenheim's 0-0 draw with Mainz 05 on Saturday. SEASON: 22 games, 22 starts, 3 goals
Jermaine Jones, M, FC Schalke 04 -- Not in the 18 for Schalke's 3-2 loss to Galatasaray (4-3 loss on aggregate) in the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie Tuesday. Jones was suspended because of card accumulation. Jones started and played 90 minutes in a 3-0 loss to Nurnberg in league play Saturday. SEASON: 28 games, 25 starts, 2 goals
Michael Parkhurst, D, FC Augsburg -- Not in the 18 for Augsburg's 1-0 win over Hamburg SV on Saturday. SEASON: 23 games, 21 starts, 2 goals (21 games, 20 starts, 2 goals with FC Nordsjaelland)
Danny Williams, D/M, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim -- Started, played 90 minutes in Hoffenheim's 0-0 draw with Mainz 05. SEASON: 20 games, 16 starts, 1 goal
2. Bundesliga
John Anthony Brooks, D, Hertha Berlin -- Not in the 18 for Berlin's 0-0 draw with TSV 1860 Munich on Saturday. SEASON: 21 games, 18 starts
Joe Gyau, M, St. Pauli -- In the 18, did not play in St. Pauli's 4-2 loss to Union Berlin on Friday. SEASON: 12 games, 4 starts
Alfredo Morales, D/M, Hertha Berlin -- Started, played 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card in Berlin's 0-0 draw with 1860 Munich. SEASON: 4 games, 2 starts
Bobby Wood, F, TSV 1860 Munich -- In the 18, did not play in Munich's 0-0 draw with Hertha Berlin on Saturday. SEASON: 11 games, 5 starts, 2 goals
Andrew Wooten, F, SV Sandhausen -- Started, played 90 minutes and scored a goal in Sandhausen's 2-2 draw with Aalen on Sunday. SEASON: 21 games, 14 starts, 5 goals
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Italy
Serie A
Michael Bradley, M, AS Roma -- In the 18, came on as a 68th-minute substitute in Roma's 2-0 win over Parma on Sunday. SEASON: 25 games, 21 starts, 2 goals
Spain
Primera Division
Oguchi Onyewu, D, Malaga -- Not in the 18 for Malaga's 2-0 win over Porto (2-1 on aggregate) in their Champions League round of 16 tie Wednesday. Malaga advanced to the quarterfinals, where it will face Borussia Dortmund. Onyewu was in the 18 but did not play in a 2-0 loss to Espanyol on Sunday. SEASON: 8 games, 7 starts, 2 goals
Segunda Division
Carlos Bocanegra, D, Racing Santander -- In the 18, did not play in Racing Santander's 1-1 draw with Xerez on Sunday. SEASON: 19 games, 19 starts (7 games, 7 starts with Rangers)
Netherlands
Eredivisie
Jozy Altidore, F, AZ Alkmaar -- Started, played 90 minutes and scored a goal in AZ's 3-2 loss to Ajax on Sunday. Altidore ran onto a long ball from Adam Maher, carried into the area and struck a left-footed shot by the keeper to cut into AZ's deficit in the 74th minute. SEASON: 35 games, 35 starts, 25 goals
Belgium
Pro League
Sacha Kljestan, M, RSC Anderlecht -- Started, played 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card in Anderlecht's 1-1 draw with Gent on Saturday. SEASON: 39 games, 32 starts, 2 goals
Austria
Bundesliga
Terrence Boyd, F, Rapid Vienna -- Started, played 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card in Rapid Vienna's 1-1 draw with Admira on Saturday. SEASON: 33 games, 27 starts, 15 goals
Turkey
Super Lig
Maurice Edu, M, Bursaspor -- Started, played 90 minutes in Bursaspor's 3-2 win over Trabzonspor on Friday. SEASON: 12 games, 10 starts (1 game with Stoke City)
Portugal
Primeira Liga
Caleb Patterson-Sewell, GK, Vitoria Setubal -- In the 18, did not play in Vitoria Setubal's 2-1 loss to Sporting Lisbon on Saturday. SEASON: 5 games, 5 starts, 12 goals allowed, 1 clean sheet
Tony Taylor, F, Estoril Praia -- In the 18, came on as a 76th-minute substitute in Estoril's 2-0 win over Academica on Sunday. SEASON: 15 games, 4 starts
Mexico
Liga MX
DaMarcus Beasley, M, Puebla -- Started, played 90 minutes and scored the opening goal of Puebla's 1-1 draw (won 5-3 on penalties) with Pachuca in the Copa MX quarterfinals Wednesday. Beasley also started, played 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card in Puebla's 2-1 loss to Pachuca in league play Saturday. SEASON: 15 games, 12 starts, 3 goals
Jonathan Bornstein, D, Tigres UANL -- Started, played 90 minutes in Tigres' 3-1 loss (3-2 loss on aggregate) to the Seattle Sounders in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals Tuesday. The appearance was Bornstein's first for Tigres since Oct. 13, 2012, and he had a hand in setting up Tigres' goal. Bornstein was in the 18 but did not play in Tigres' 1-1 draw with Chivas de Guadalajara in league play Saturday. SEASON: 1 game, 1 start
Edgar Castillo, D, Tijuana -- Not in the 18 for Tijuana's 3-0 loss to Corinthians in the Copa Libertadores on Wednesday or a 2-2 draw with Monterrey in league play Sunday. SEASON: 10 games, 10 starts, 1 goal
Joe Corona, M, Tijuana -- Started, played the first half of Tijuana's 3-0 loss to Corinthians in the Copa Libertadores. Corona was also in the 18 and came on as a 71st-minute substitute in a 2-2 draw with Monterrey in league play. SEASON: 13 games, 9 starts, 1 goal
Michael Orozco Fiscal, D, Puebla -- Started and was sent off for picking up his second yellow card in the 89th minute of Puebla's 1-1 draw (won 5-3 on penalties) with Pachuca in the Copa MX quarterfinals. Orozco Fiscal also started and played 90 minutes in a 2-1 loss to Pachuca in league play. SEASON: 13 games, 13 starts
Greg Garza, D/M, Tijuana -- In the 18, came on as a 63rd-minute substitute in Tijuana's 3-0 loss to Corinthians in the Copa Libertadores. Garza started and played 71 minutes in a 2-2 draw with Monterrey in league play. SEASON: 4 games, 2 starts
Herculez Gomez, F, Santos Laguna -- Started, played 90 minutes and scored the eventual series-winning goal in Santos Laguna's 3-0 win (3-1 on aggregate) over the Houston Dynamo in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals Wednesday. Santos Laguna will face the Seattle Sounders, whom Gomez torched for three goals in last year's knockout-round matchup, in the semifinals. Gomez also started, played 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card in a 2-1 win over Atlas in league play Saturday. SEASON: 13 games, 13 starts, 5 goals
Benji Joya, M, Santos Laguna -- Not in the 18 for Santos Laguna's 3-0 win (3-1 on aggregate) over the Houston Dynamo in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals or a 2-1 win over Atlas in league play. SEASON: 0 games
Jose Torres, M, Tigres UANL -- Not in the 18 for Tigres' 3-1 loss (3-2 on aggregate) to the Seattle Sounders in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals. Torres started and played 81 minutes in a 1-1 draw with Chivas de Guadalajara in league play. SEASON: 11 games, 11 starts
Denmark
Charlie Davies, F, Randers FC -- In the 18, came on as a 90th-minute substitute in Randers' 1-0 win over Silkeborg on Sunday. SEASON: 18 games, 3 starts
Clarence Goodson, D, Brondby IF -- Started, played 90 minutes in Brondby's 1-1 draw with Esbjerg in the first leg of their DBU Pokalen (Danish Cup) semifinal tie Wednesday. Goodson also started, played 90 minutes and picked up a yellow card in a 1-1 draw with FC Midtjylland in league play Sunday. SEASON: 18 games, 17 starts, 1 goal
Conor O'Brien, M/F, FC Nordsjaelland --- Nordsjaelland's match against Aalborg BK on Saturday was postponed because of weather. SEASON: 24 games, 14 starts, 5 goals (22 games, 12 starts, 5 goals with Sonderjyske)
Sweden
Alejandro Bedoya, M, Helsingborg -- Not in the 18 for Helsingborg's 3-1 win over Gefle in the final group-stage match of the Svenska Cup (Swedish Cup) on Sunday. Helsingborg topped its group and advanced to the quarterfinals. SEASON: 2 games, 2 starts, 2 goals
Brian Span, M, Djurgarden IF -- In the 18, came on as a 73rd-minute substitute in Djurgarden's 1-1 draw with Atvidaberg in the final group-stage match of the Svenska Cupen on Sunday. Djurgarden topped its group and advanced to the quarterfinals. SEASON: 3 games, 1 start
Norway
Steve Clark, GK, Honefoss -- Started, played 90 minutes in Honefoss' 3-2 loss to IK Start on Sunday. SEASON: 1 game, 1 start, 3 goals allowed
Mix Diskerud, M, Rosenborg BK -- Started, played 90 minutes in Rosenborg's 1-0 win over Odd Grenland on Sunday. SEASON: 1 game, 1 start
Josh Gatt, M, Molde FK -- Started, played 90 minutes in Molde's 2-1 loss to Viking on Friday. SEASON: 1 game, 1 start
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