AMSTERDAM – It was a somewhat trying Saturday afternoon for Americans employed in England and Germany, with Brad Guzan and Aston Villa absorbing a 3-0 Premier League loss at Chelsea.
The former Chivas USA notched four saves to go with a pair of cross captures, but surrendered a goal in each third of the game. Perhaps his best stop came early to deny Willian, but the Chelsea man squared his own rebound for Oscar to open the scoring. Willian would eventually get personal revenge by scoring the late capper off a Diego Costa rebound, sending fifth place Villa to its second consecutive defeat.
Meanwhile, Jozy Altidore watched on as Sunderland dueled guests Swansea City to a 0-0 draw. One of three EPL clubs still without a victory, the Black Cats tentatively stand 15th.
One flight down in the Championship, Zak Whitbread helped Derby County run their unbeaten streak across all competitions to seven with a 2-0 win at Bolton.
While Tim Ream unexpectedly went unused by Wanderers, Whitbread provided another solid game of positive passing out of the back and rang up six clearances. Strugglers Bolton remained in the bottom three while the Rams jumped into the top six.
Elsewhere, Emerson Hyndman worked the first half as Fulham rallied late to rise out of the league cellar with a 2-1 triumph at slumping Birmingham City. Jonathan Spector was culpable in one goal and saved another in his 89 minutes for the Brums, who also brought Brek Shea on at halftime.
For Hyndman, it was a decent but unspectacular period of play. Birmingham winger Shea was the busier American after his entrance, with his break-in bid for an insurance tally cruelly denied by Fulham backstop Marcus Bettinelli near the hour.
Spector, meanwhile, spent most of the game performing solidly for the hosts from right back. However, it was his miscommunication with Birmingham's Irish-American 'keeper Darren Randolph that allowed Hugo Rodallega to score the winner on 71 minutes.
Spector would then clear his teammate's line in the waning moments and exit shortly thereafter hobbling from the incident.
Also, Eric Lichaj was an unused sub as Nottingham Forest dropped out of the top spot following a 0-0 home draw with Brighton & Hove Albion. Though still unbeaten through nine rounds, the Red dipped a point behind new leaders Norwich City.
Over in the Bundesliga, Fabian Johnson was scratched late with an Achilles complaint, but Borussia Mönchengladbach remained bulletproof on the season by topping promoted home side Paderborn 2-1. The Foals climbed into second place, two points shy of defending champs Bayern Munich.
Joseph Gyau remained a spectator in Borussia Dortmund's 2-1 derby loss at Schalke. Winless in three league outings, BvB dipped to ninth place.
Turning to Belgium, Sacha Kljestan made a late cameo to help Anderlecht close out a 2-0 victory at Zulte-Waregem. The Mauves, the last unbeaten in the Jupiler League, tentatively stand five points clear at the top.
Finally, in Austria, Conor O'Brien had an off day in the passing game as Wiener Neustadt fell into the basement after dropping a 1-0 home result against previous bottom feeders SV Ried.
