AMSTERDAM – Three teams featuring Americans in attack were shut out on Saturday, with FC Utrecht debutant Juan Agudelolooking lively off the bench in a 1-0 defeat at Roda JC.
The Stoke City loan attacker entered the contest in the 58th minute showing an instant eagerness to test Roda defenders. Agudelo's most notable play occurred early in his shift, with the American stealing the ball in his own end and shaking off a defender to scamper free, only to mis-hit his long distance shot over the bar from long range.
Thanks to their fourth consecutive loss, Utrecht dropped two places to 11th.
Elsewhere in the Eredivisie, Aron Jóhannsson saw a four-game goal streak across all competitions come to an end in AZ Alkmaar's 1-0 loss at PSV Eindhoven.
The US forward pitched in with a decent outing, drawing two good saves from the home netminder on the night. With five defeats in their last six league matches, AZ slipped to eighth place.
Over in France's Ligue 1, Alejandro Bedoya went 66 minutes as lethargic Nantes settled for a 0-0 home draw with fellow surprise package Reims.
Bedoya got a pair of chances to fire in shortly before his removal, with one buzzing wide and another sailing directly to the away goalkeeper. Despite having won just once in their last five league games, Nantes held onto fifth place.
Finally, in the FA Cup fourth round, Tim Howard served as backup in Everton's 4-0 cruise through third-flight hosts Stevenage.
