AMSTERDAM – It was quite the productive Tuesday night for Americans working across the pond, with DeAndre Yedlin expertly setting up the Sunderland consolation goal in a 4-1 Capital One Cup loss against visiting Manchester City.
The US international got his first loan appearance and start for the Black Cats, going the distance at right back. Yedlin nearly notched his first assist in England following an impressive flank rush on 25 minutes, but City netminder Willy Caballero cruelly denied an Ola Toivonen bullet header from the American's pinpoint cross.
Mere seconds later, Yedlin failed to properly spring the offside trap, allowing Kevin De Bruyne to sneak past for Man City's second. The former Seattle Sounder was not culpable on any of the other away strikes and managed to contribute six defensive stops on the night, including a recovery play to keep Sergio Agüero from piling on a fifth Citizens' goal near the break.
Yedlin would eventually key the lone Sunderland tally when another precise delivery from the right flank was dutifully nodded home by Toivonen with nine minutes left.
Some other clubs featuring Americans fared better in third-round action, with Geoff Cameron assisting on Peter Crouch's winner as Stoke edged past home side Fulham and their pair of compatriots by a 1-0 count.
The Potters handyman moved into defensive midfield for this contest, while US teammate Tim Ream slotted in at left back for Fulham. Cameron could have broken the ice himself in the 20th minute, but shanked a rebound try wide from a good position.
There was no mistake made shortly after the half-hour mark, when Cameron's slip pass sent Crouch free to slot the game's lone goal. Fulham midfielder Emerson Hyndman eventually entered to make his first Fulham appearance of the campaign with eight minutes remaining on the clock. Stoke will now await the round-of-16 draw, which will follow Wednesday's matches.
Brad Guzan and Aston Villa are also moving on after a 1-0 derby triumph over Jonathan Spector's Birmingham City. The home netminder chalked up a pair of saves and as many cross claims to post his first shutout since Villa's Premier League opening day win over Bournemouth.
Late sub Danny Williams narrowly missed on a stoppage time bid for the equalizer as Reading bowed out of the tournament with a 2-1 home defeat against Everton. With Tim Howard watching on from Toffees' dugout, the Royals midfielder blazed just over from distance with the last kick of his 12-minute shift.
Turning to the Bundesliga, Werder Bremen forward Aron Jóhannsson netted the opener, but the visitors could not make it stand up in a tough 2-1 defeat at Darmstadt.
The No. 9 shirt applied a diving header to Gebre Selassie's cross to put Bremen up on 19 minutes. Jóhannsson nearly doubled the lead just two minutes later, but saw his shot cleared off the line after rounding the 'keeper.
With the game tied on 37 minutes, Jóhannsson almost lucked Bremen back into the lead. His cross bounced through untouched and had to be alertly pushed away from goal by Darmstadt netminder Felix Wiedwald. In all, the American fired six shot attempts and completed eight passes in or into the final attacking third. However, his efforts could not keep the 12th-place guests from slipping to their second loss in a row.
Elsewhere, Alfredo Morales experienced a tough outing as Ingolstadt dropped a 1-0 home decision to Hamburg.
The midfielder completed just 13 of 25 passes and failed to notch a successful tackle. Morales did pitch in with three clearances and two pass picks as Ingolstadt lost for the first time in four games.
One flight down, Andrew Wooten came up empty as slumping Sandhausen settled for a 1-1 home share with 1860 Munich.
On his return to right wing after a couple of starts up top, Wooten was denied on a couple of early chances before drifting out of the match. The result kept 10th-place Sandhausen winless in five.
Next door in the Netherlands, Rubio Rubin bagged his first goal of the campaign to cap a 2-0 KNVB Cup win at ONS Sneek. Making the start in a two forward set, the youngster buried a Andreas Ludwig feed in stoppage time.
Finally, in Scotland, Gedion Zelalam put in a decent shift as Rangers suffered their first defeat of the campaign after being bounced from the Scottish League Cup by a 3-1 home failure against St. Johnstone.
With the Light Blues already down one midway through the opening frame, Zelalam buzzed the frame with a 25-yard volley. The Arsenal loan item also went close to logging a late assist, but Martyn Waghorn nudged his cross agonizingly wide in the waning moments.
