by FRANCO PANIZO
Carlos Bocanegra has made a career out of solid defending and timely tackles, and this weekend he prevented a potential goal with a last-second challenge.
Unfortunately for Stade Rennes, Bocanegra did so with his hands.
Bocanegra was sent off in the 16th minute of Rennes' match vs. AJ Auxerre for preventing a clear breakaway by pulling down the opposing attacker. The U.S. national team captain saved his club from giving up a goal in that moment, but Rennes would ultimately lose, 1-0.
Michael Orozco also paid a visit to the red card-department, getting sent off in the 69th minute of San Luis' 1-1 draw against Toluca.
Not all was gloomy this weekend, though. Michael Bradley went the entire 90 minutes of Borussia Moenchengladbach's game, and Eddie Johnson and Freddy Adu both saw the field for their respective clubs.
Here is how the rest of the Americans Abroad performed this weekend:
England
PREMIERSHIP
- Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made four saves in Everton's 1-1 draw vs. Stoke City on Sunday.
- Jozy Altidore dressed but did not play in Hull City's 2-1 win vs. Wigan Athletic on Saturday.
- Clint Dempsey started and played 84 minutes in Fulham's 2-2 draw vs. West Ham on Sunday.
- Eddie Johnson came off the bench and played 8 minutes in Fulham's 2-2 draw vs. West Ham on Sunday.
- Jonathan Spector dressed but did not play in West Ham's 2-2 draw vs. Fulham on Sunday.
- Brad Friedel and Aston Villa play Manchester City on Monday.
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Brad Guzan and Aston Villa play Manchester City on Monday.
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Marcus Hahnemann dressed but did not play in Wolverhampton Wanderers' 1-0 loss vs. Portsmouth on Saturday.
COCA COLA CHAMPIONSHIP
- Jay DeMerit did not dress in Watford's 4-0 loss vs. Cardiff City on Saturday. He is recovering from an injury.
- Frank Simek dressed but did not play in Sheffield Wednesday's 3-0 loss vs. Derby County on Saturday.
LEAGUE ONE
- Ian Joyce dressed but did not play in Southend United's 2-0 win vs. Stockport County on Saturday.
- Zak Whitbread did not dress in Millwall's 5-0 win vs. Tranmere Rovers on Saturday.
- Mike Grella came of the bench and played 11 minutes in Leeds United's 0-0 draw vs. Charlton Athletic on Saturday.
- Jemal Johnson started and played 89 minutes in Milton Keynes Dons' 1-0 win vs. Brighton on Saturday.
- Jon-Paul Pittman came off the bench and played 19 minutes in Wycombe Wanderers' 1-0 loss vs. Leyton Orient on Saturday.
Scotland
- Maurice Edu did not dress in Rangers' 2-1 win vs. Celtic on Sunday. He is recovering from an injury.
- DaMarcus Beasley did not play in Rangers' 2-1 win vs. Celtic on Sunday.
Italy
- Oguchi Onyewu did not dress in AC Milan's 1-1 draw vs. Atalanta on Sunday.
Germany
BUNDESLIGA
- Michael Bradley started and played 90 minutes in Borussia Moenchengladbach's 1-0 loss vs. Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.
- Steve Cherundolo started and played 90 minutes in Hannover 96's 5-2 win vs. SC Freiburg on Saturday.
- Sal Zizzo did not dress in Hannover 96's 5-2 win vs. SC Freiburg on Saturday.
- Jermaine Jones did not dress in Schalke 04's 2-0 win vs. Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday. He is recovering from an injury.
BUNDESLIGA 2
- Kenny Cooper started and played 63 minutes in 1860 Munich's 3-1 loss vs. St Pauli on Sunday.
- Luis Robles dressed but did not play in Kaiserslautern's 1-1 draw vs. FSV Frankfurt on Sunday.
- Matt Taylor came off the bench and played 45 minutes in FSV Frankfurt's 1-1 draw vs. Kaiserslautern on Sunday.
- David Yeldell started, played 90 minutes and made three saves in TUS Koblenz's 1-0 loss vs. RW Oberhausen on Friday.
France
- Carlos Bocanegra started, played 16 minutes and received a red card in Rennes' 1-0 loss vs. AJ Auxerre on Saturday.
- Charlie Davies started and played 90 minutes in Sochaux's 1-0 win vs. Le Mans on Saturday.
Portugal
- Freddy Adu came off the bench and played 25 minutes in Belenenses' 0-0 draw vs. Sporting Lisbon on Sunday.
- Kamani Hill and Vitoria de Guimaraes play CD Nacional de Madeira on Monday.
Denmark
- Benny Feilhaber started and played 84 minutes in AGF Aarhus' 2-1 win vs. Sonderjyske on Saturday.
- Jeremiah White came off the bench and played 6 minutes in AGF Aarhus' 2-1 win vs. Sonderjyske on Saturday.
- Danny Califf did not play in FC Midtjylland's 2-1 win vs. Koge on Sunday.
- Michael Parkhurst did not play in FC Nordsjaelland's 6-3 loss vs. Brondby on Sunday.
- Marcus Tracy and Aalborg play Odense BK on Monday.
Norway
- Troy Perkins and Valerenga play Viking on Monday.
- Mikkel Diskerud did not dress in Stabaek's 2-1 loss vs. Fredrikstad on Sunday.
- Clarence Goodson started and played 90 minutes in IK Start's 3-2 win vs. Rosenborg on Sunday.
- Hunter Freeman started and played 90 minutes in IK Start's 3-2 win vs. Rosenborg on Sunday.
Sweden
- Alejandro Bedoya started and played 90 minutes in Orebro SK's 3-0 loss vs. Malmo FF on Sunday.
Mexico
- Jose Francisco Torres started and played 70 minutes in Pachuca's 2-1 win vs. America on Saturday.
- Michael Orozco started, played 69 minutes and received a red card in San Luis' 1-1 draw vs. Toluca on Sunday.
- Edgar Castillo did not dress in UANL's 2-0 win vs. Cruz Azul on Saturday.
- Marco Vidal dressed but did not play in Indios de Ciudad Juarez's 3-1 loss vs. Queretaro on Saturday.
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What do you think of these performances? Upset that there were two red cards and zero goals this weekend? Was Bocanegra's challenge smart or silly? Happy with the Bradley, Johnson and Adu sightings?
Share your thoughts below.
