AMSTERDAM – It was a winless Saturday afternoon for European clubs that employ Americans, with Brad Guzan and Aston Villa done in by three goals during a four-minute span in their 3-0 home loss to Arsenal.
The US netminder allowed just one goal through the first 392 minutes of the Premier League season, but the floodgates momentarily opened after Mesut Özil broke in alone to start the scoring on 32 minutes.
A Danny Welbeck strike and an Aly Cissokho own goal quickly followed, with Guzan given little chance on both. The American notched but one save as third-place Villa suffered their first defeat on the campaign.
Meanwhile, Jozy Altidore came on for the final 23 minutes of Sunderland's 0-0 stalemate at Burnley.
The striker, who received just nine touches, was unable to rev up the away attack. Altidore committed turnovers on three of his possessions as winless Sunderland posted their fourth draw from five rounds of play.
One league below in the Championship, Eric Lichaj pulled double duty as Nottingham Forest hung onto the top spot in the table with a 0-0 draw at Millwall.
The Illinois native started the contest at left back before switching to the opposite side of defense at the break. Lichaj rang up five clearances and two tackles as the unbeaten Reds stayed a point ahead of the pack.
Lichaj & Co. got some compatriot help in retaining the league penthouse, with Jonathan Spector working all 90 minutes and Brek Shea 36 off the bench as Birmingham City held second-place Norwich City to a 2-2 share at Carrow Road.
Spector worked a hearty shift at right back, including a game-best five tackles and a yellow card, as the visitors blew an early two-goal lead to remain winless in seven. Shea failed to produce the final product despite being active in attack, but he did count a key corner kick clearance with the game tied late among the handful of defensive plays he contributed.
Tim Ream and Bolton lost for the fifth time in eight league rounds, 1-0 at Wolverhampton.
The US international enjoyed a decent day in the right back station, moving the ball along safely while also pitching in with five clearances and three pass picks. Nevertheless, Wanderers stayed chained to 21st place after midfielder Owen Garvan squandered a second-half spot kick.
Derby County defender Zak Whitbread went the distance as Derby County clawed back late for a 2-2 draw against visiting Cardiff City.
The center back was not troubled often, but he certainly helped the Rams score 73 percent of the possession by completing 83 of 87 passes. Now unbeaten in five Championship outings, Derby sit five points out of first in eighth place.
Also, Emerson Hyndman watched from the home dugout as bottom feeders Fulham dropped a 1-0 result against Blackburn.
Over in Germany, Timothy Chandler shined in his first start of the season as Eintracht Frankfurt settled for a 2-2 draw at Schalke.
The right back helped the away side get off to a fast start, with several bombing raids down the flank producing a few troublesome crosses. Shortly after a Schalke penalty kick conversion halved Eintracht's early two-goal edge on 40 minutes, Chandler embarked on a 50-yard ramble before buzzing the far corner with a drive from distance.
Chandler, who completed 37 of 39 passes on the day, also tested the Miners' 'keeper with a long-range try near time. Now winless in three, promoted Eintracht slipped to 11th place.
Around the league, Julian Green added a bit of a spark over the final quarter hour as Hamburg battled visiting champs Bayern Munich to a 0-0 draw. The youngster contributed some solid counter passing and four total defensive plays to help winless HSV climb out of the basement.
Down in the second Bundesliga, Alfredo Morales notched his third assist of the young season on the opener, but Ingolstadt would eventually drop to second place on goal differential after a 1-1 share at 1860 Munich.
The US defensive midfielder nearly broke the ice mere seconds into the match when his sharp-angle shot from the left side shaved the crossbar. In the 16th minute, Morales shipped a pinpoint cross from the same flank for Pascal Groß to nod home the game's first goal.
Shortly after Bobby Wood entered for 1860 Munich on 77 minutes, Morales came agonizingly close to winning the game to keep Ingolstadt on the summit. However, his sizzling free kick from 24 yards was pushed out of the top corner by 1860 netminder Stefan Ortega.
Ingolstadt ran their unbeaten streak to 10 games, dating back to last season, while Wood and the 13th-place Lions extended their own bulletproof run to four games.
In France, Alejandro Bedoya was scratched late with an illness as Nantes topped guests Nice 2-1. The win tentatively lifted the Canaries to fifth place.
Next door in Belgium, Sacha Kljestan went unused in Anderlecht's 3-2 home win over Cercle Brugge. The holders remained unbeaten in first place.
Greg Seltzer covers Americans based in Europe for MLSsoccer.com.
