AMSTERDAM – It was an unkind Saturday for clubs starting Americans, with the Tottenham's Clint Dempsey and Brad Friedel caught on the wrong end of a see-saw 4-2 home loss to derby guests Chelsea in EPL play.
Dempsey went 74 minutes, while Friedel was oft-victimized by his own defense in notching three saves against the EPL leaders. Despite having their four-game win streak snapped, Tottenham remained in fifth place.
Elsewhere in England, Brad Guzan made four fine saves and Eric Lichaj came on for 28 minutes at right back in Aston Villa's tough 1-0 defeat at Fulham.
The US netminder was at his best to deny Dimitar Berbatov early and Ashkan Dejagah just before Chris Baird's 84th minute winner from a corner kick. Now winless in four, the Villans slipped to 17th in the table.
Geoff Cameron had a busy day in defense in Stoke City's 4-2 loss at Manchester United.
Just past intermission, the Potters right back lost Red Devils forward Danny Welbeck on the match-winning goal. Stoke slipped a spot to 13th as their league win drought away from home reached 14 games.
One flight down in the Championship, Zak Whitbread went the distance as Leicester City pulled level late to go top with a 1-1 draw at Birmingham City.
Brums right back Jonathan Spector suffered a second-half hamstring knock before being sent off with a second booking in stoppage time, all with teammate Will Packwood watching from the home dugout.
Tim Ream saw a bitter day turn sweet in his return to the Bolton line-up, a 3-2 comeback victory over Bristol City.
The former New York Red Bulls defender was guilty of the penalty foul that facilitated the second away goal on 21 minutes, but Wanderers hit three unanswered to claim their first win in four.
Turning to the Bundesliga, Jermaine Jones returned from injury with 11 substitute minutes as Schalke posted a 2-1 triumph away to archrivals Borussia Dortmund. The third-place Miners have now gone six league games on the road without a defeat.
Steve Cherundolo and Hannover 96 dropped a decision at Eintracht Frankfurt. With three away losses in a row, the Reds fell one rung to sixth place.
North of the border in Denmark, in-form SønderjyskE midfielder Conor O'Brien set up the game's first goal on 72 minutes, but home side Aalborg BK clawed back with a pair for the 2-1 win.
Over in La Liga, Oguchi Onyewu was an unused sub as third place Málaga topped Real Valldolid 2-1.
Finally, in the Israeli premier league, Bryan Gerzicich saw yellow as defending champs Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona suffered a 2-0 defeat away to current league leaders FC Ashdod.
