By FRANCO PANIZO
Tim Howard has made a career of coming up big when his team has needed him the most, and he did so once again this weekend with a heroic performance.
Facing a stacked Chelsea squad in a road FA Cup match, Howard helped Everton defeat the Premiership heavyweights 4-3 in penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw through 120 minutes of play. Howard, who made eight saves in the game, stopped a Nicolas Anelka spot kick and watched Ashley Cole blast one into the stands as Everton advanced to the Round of 16.
Howard may be receiving rave reviews from the Everton faithful, but he isn't the only one getting praise from his club's fans. Playing in his first club game in about nine months, Freddy Adu debuted for Rizespor by starting, playing 84 minutes and delivering an assist in the club's 3-0 triumph over Orduspor.
It wasn't all good news this weekend. Starting in his second match for Bursaspor, Jozy Altidore was substituted after 32 minutes due to an ankle injury. Altidore suffered the knock to his right ankle when he planted his foot after being on the end of a clumsy challenge.
Here is how the Americans Abroad did this weekend:
England
PREMIERSHIP
- Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made eight saves in Everton's 4-3 (1-1) penalty kick win vs. Chelsea in the FA Cup on Saturday.
- Clint Dempsey started and played 90 minutes in Fulham's 1-0 loss vs. Bolton Wanderers in the FA Cup on Sunday.
- Brad Friedel and Aston Villa did not play this weekend.
- Michael Bradley and Aston Villa did not play this weekend.
- Marcus Hahnemann dressed but did not play in Wolverhampton Wanderers' 1-1 draw vs. West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.
- Jonathan Spector and West Ham United play Burnley in the FA Cup on Monday.
- Stuart Holden started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Bolton Wanderers' 1-0 win vs. Fulham in the FA Cup on Sunday.
- Jermaine Jones and Blackburn Rovers did not play this weekend.
CHAMPIONSHIP
- Conor Doyle dressed but did not play in Derby County's 0-0 draw vs. Scunthorpe United on Saturday.
- Zak Whitbread started and played 90 minutes in Norwich City's 2-2 draw vs. Leeds United on Saturday.
- Brad Guzan started, played 90 minutes and made four saves in Hull City's 1-1 draw vs. Ipswich Town on Saturday.
- Mike Grella did not dress in Leeds United's 2-2 draw vs. Norwich City on Saturday.
- Eric Lichaj started and played 90 minutes for Leeds United.
- Robbie Findley did not dress in Nottingham Forest's 2-1 win vs. Cardiff City on Saturday. He is recovering from a thigh injury.
- Eddie Johnson started and played 55 minutes in Preston North End's 1-1 draw vs. Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.
LEAGUE ONE
- Frank Simek started and played 90 minutes in Carlisle United's 1-0 win vs. Swindon Town on Saturday.
- Anton Peterlin and Plymouth Argyle did not play this weekend.
Scotland
PREMIER LEAGUE
- Maurice Edu started and played 90 minutes in Rangers' 3-0 loss vs. Celtic on Sunday.
- Dominic Cervi did not dress in Celtic's 3-0 win vs. Rangers on Sunday.
Germany
BUNDESLIGA
- Steve Cherundolo started and played 90 minutes in Hannover 96's 3-0 win vs. Kaiserslautern on Saturday.
- DaMarcus Beasley did not dress for Hannover 96.
- Ricardo Clark did not dress in Eintracht Frankfurt's 3-0 loss vs. FC Nurnberg on Friday. He is recovering from a fractured cheekbone.
- Daniel Williams did not play in SC Freiburg's 2-1 win vs. VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- Timothy Chandler started and played 90 minutes Nurnberg's 3-0 win vs. Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday.
BUNDESLIGA 2
- David Yeldell started, played 90 minutes and made two saves in MSV Duisburg's 1-0 loss vs. FC Union Berlin on Saturday.
- Luis Robles started, played 90 minutes and made one save in Karlsruhe's 2-1 win vs. FSV Frankfurt on Sunday.
- Edson Buddle started and played 66 minutes in FC Ingolstadt 04's 2-0 loss vs. SpVgg Greuther Furth on Friday.
- Amaechi Igwe did not dress for FC Ingolstadt 04. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- Bobby Wood dressed but did not play in TSV 1860 Munich's 2-0 loss vs. FC Augsburg on Friday.
- Alfredo Morales and Hertha Berlin play Energie Cottbus on Monday.
France
LIGUE 1
- Carlos Bocanegra started and played 90 minutes in St Etienne's 2-1 loss vs. Marseille on Saturday.
LIGUE 2
- Quentin Westberg dressed but did not play in Evian Thonon Gaillard's 1-0 loss vs. AC Ajaccio on Friday.
Netherlands
- Oguchi Onyewu started and played 90 minutes in Twente Enschede's 1-1 draw vs. NEC Nijmegen on Sunday.
Turkey
SUPER LIG
- Jozy Altidore started and played 32 minutes in Bursaspor's 4-1 loss vs. Gaziantepspor on Saturday.
BANK ASYA 1. LIG
- Freddy Adu started, played 84 minutes and had an ASSIST in Rizespor's 3-0 win vs. Orduspor on Sunday.
Belgium
- Sacha Kljestan started and played 45 minutes in RSC Anderlecht's 2-0 loss vs. KVC Westerlo on Sunday.
Mexico
- Jose Torres started and played 90 minutes in Pachuca's 4-1 loss vs. Chivas de Guadalajara on Saturday.
- Herculez Gomez started and played 65 minutes for Pachuca.
- Edgar Castillo dressed but did not play in Puebla's 1-0 win vs. Chiapas on Sunday.
- Sammy Ochoa did not dress in Estudiantes Tecos U.A. de G.'s 1-0 loss vs. Atlante on Friday.
- Sonny Guadarrama dressed but did not play in Atlante's 1-0 win vs. Estudiantes Tecos U.A. de G. on Friday.
- Jonathan Bornstein dressed but did not play in Tigres UANL's 0-0 draw vs. Monterey on Saturday.
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What do you think of Howard's performance against Chelsea? Surprised by Adu's showing in his debut? How do you think the ankle injury will affect Altidore?
Share your thoughts below.
