AMSTERDAM — It was a largely successful Sunday for Americans in playing Europe, highlighted by a second-half Clint Dempsey brace in Fulham's 5-0 romp over visiting Wolverhampton.
Supplementing a Pavel Pogrebnyak hat trick, the in-form US star converted a sublime Danny Murphy splitting pass with ease 10 minutes out of intermission before using a left-foot lash to finish Mahamadou Diarra's 83rd-minute through ball.
All told, Dempsey fired eight shots in the game, with half of them on target. The man called Deuce now has 12 goals on the EPL season, matching last year's career-best, as well as 14 in his last 18 club and country games.
Winning for the sixth time in a seven-match home unbeaten run, the Cottagers jumped four spots to eighth place.
Elsewhere, Tottenham netminder Brad Friedel fell victim to a pair of second half Ashley Young strikes, which paved the way for Manchester United to leave White Hart Lane with a 3-1 victory.
The 2002 World Cup hero notched just two saves, what with Spurs establishing an 18-6 shots advantage. Friedel was left snapping his fingers at Wayne Rooney's opener, but had little chance at Young's double that dealt Tottenham consecutive league losses for the first time since August.
Over in the Bundesliga, Timothy Chandler worked a threatening 68 minutes on right wing, departing before Albert Bunjaku bagged a late 1-0 winner over season darlings Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Before the deciding goal, Chandler had the best chance of the night, with his acrobatic effort from a bad angle saved on the hour. Thanks to their third straight victory, Der Club entered the table's better half in ninth place.
Fabian Johnson remained at left back for Hoffenheim ahead of recovered regular Edson Braafheid, but was among those caught watching on the late equalizer in a 1-1 draw with guests FC Cologne.
With Daniel Williams set to return from a yellow cards suspension, Johnson & Co. were a bit too lax as Lukas Podolski hit the leveler 10 minutes from time. Having posted a sixth straight home draw in league play, Hoffenheim slipped two spots to 10th.
Heading to Belgium, Sacha Kljestan pushed an early golden chance just wide, but the miss was no matter as Anderlecht strolled to a 4-0 win over Cercle Brugges. Winning for the sixth straight time in Jupiler League play at home, the Mauves maintained their eight point penthouse cushion.
A little to the north in Denmark, Chris Rolfe was subbed out before the fireworks as Aalborg BK traded stoppage-time goals with FC Copenhagen in a 1-1 home draw. The former Chicago Fire man supplied a shot on goal, a cross and a corner kick in 85 minutes as AaB nudged up to sixth with their lightning rally against the champs.
Clarence Goodson ably marshaled the back as Brøndby moved six points clear of the trap door with a 1-0 defeat of SønderjyskE. Conor O'Brien was an unused sub for the beaten visitors, who were passed in the standings by "The Lads from the Western Outskirts" on goal differential.
