AMSTERDAM – Several Americans clocked in overseas on Saturday, with Clint Dempsey helping fourth-place Tottenham Hotspur stay clear in the Premier League's last Champions League place with a 2-1 home win over Newcastle.
The US star set up Spurs early opener, winning a free kick that hot hand Gareth Bale would swat home from 22 yards. Playing as cover up top, Dempsey managed to put but one of his four shots on target.
With Brad Friedel serving as backup netminder, Tottenham ran their home unbeaten streak across all competitions to 10 games.
Around the EPL, Geoff Cameron saw quick yellow in six relief minutes as Stoke City topped guests Reading 2-1. The 10th-place Potters held on late to secure their first league win since Boxing Day.
Down one level in the Championship, Tim Ream watched from the dugout Bolton scored their first league win of the year, 2-1 over visiting Burnley. The result lifted Wanderers three spots to 17th.
Timothy Chandler was the only American to avoid defeat in Bundesliga play, working a positive shift to help visitors FC Nürnberg hold season surprise package Eintracht Frankfurt to a 0-0 draw. Despite remaining winless in nine road tilts, Chandler & Co. nudged up to 13th place.
Fabian Johnson went the distance and Daniel Williams came on for the final 12 minutes of Hoffenheim's 1-0 defeat at Hannover 96. Neither American was in top form the visitors slipped to eight points adrift of the safety zone.
One flight down, Bobby Wood notched a goal and an assist in 1860 Munich's sorely-needed 3-1 triumph at Duisburg.
The American attacker netted his second of the season with a restart finish from close range to equalize in the 15th minute and later set up the capper with nine minutes left. The eighth-place Lions earned their first victory since November to cut their promotion deficit to eight points.
Over in Turkey's Süper Lig, Maurice Edu worked a solid full shift in Bursaspor's 3-0 cruise through Karabükspor. By posting their first victory away from home since October, the Green Crocodiles climbed to within a point of the last Europa League slot.
