AMSTERDAM — Several Americans suited up in Europe on Saturday, headlined by Tim Howard and Everton being held to a 1-1 draw against visitors Sunderland in their FA Cup quarterfinal.
The Toffees dominated on the day, with Howard only required to make one save to remain unbeaten in his career against the Black Cats. Despite their 19-4 shot advantage, Everton were unable to improve on Tim Cahill's 24th-minute equalizer and must now head to Sunderland for a March 27 replay.
Elsewhere in the tourney, both Tottenham's Brad Friedel and Tim Ream of away side Bolton were on the sub's bench when their game was abandoned tied at 1-1 near halftime. Wanderers midfielder Fabrice Muamba was taken to the hospital after suddenly collapsing on the field in the 41st minute and referee Howard Webb halted the proceedings shortly thereafter.
In Premier League action, Clint Dempsey threatened to score twice, but Fulham came up empty in a galling 3-0 home loss to Swansea City.
The US international forced Swans goalkeeper Michel Vorm to tip over in the early going, and later watched him push a waning moments drive onto the crossbar. Spurning a chance to climb to eighth, the Cottagers lost consecutive EPL matches for the first time since October.
Over in the Bundesliga, Timothy Chandler created a pair of great chances that went for naught in his 66 minutes of FC Nürnberg's 3-1 home defeat to Wolfsburg.
The right winger nearly tied the game at twos just past the half-hour, only to be foiled by Wolves netminder Diego Benaglio, and would later see an inch-perfect set-up shot wide from close range just before the visitors bagged the insurance tally. Now having dropped two straight, Der Club slipped a spot to 10th.
Halftime right back sub Alfredo Morales committed the penalty foul on the capper as relegation bait Hertha Berlin suffered a 6-0 lesson from visiting Bayern Munich. The US Olympic hopeful tripped up Franck Ribéry on 67 minutes, allowing Arjen Robben to bang home the away side's last goal of the day from the spot.
Meanwhile, David Yelldell served as backup netminder for Bayer Leverkusen's 2-1 home loss to Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Heading to Scotland, Alejandro Bedoya and Maurice Edu each worked tepid shifts in midfield as slumping Rangers fell 2-1 at Dundee United.
The former nodded over on one fine first-half chance at his first goal for the club and fired to the keeper on another later in the game. By losing their third SPL game in the last four, Rangers saw their lead over Motherwell for the second Champions League qualifying berth reduced to goal differential.
The lone victorious American on the day was found in Israel, where Leo Krupnick and Maccabi Netanya closed the regular season as the hottest Ligat Ha'Al team by blanking guests Maccabi Tel Aviv 3-0. With their third straight win and fourth clean sheet in five, the Diamonds now enter the championship playoff level on points with third place.
