Friedel and Villa eliminated from Champions League contention

A roundup of notable U.S. players in action in Europe over the past two weeks:

England

Premier League

Laurence Griffiths/GettyImages

Brad Friedel and Aston Villa are mired in a huge slump.

In the fourth spot for much of the season, Arsenal's 3-0 win at Portsmouth on Saturday means Villa can't catch the Gunners for the final spot in Europe's most prestigious, and lucrative, club competition. Now it's about holding off Everton for fifth.

Friedel had a relatively tame day in goal April 25, beaten only by a Tamir Cohen volley as Villa drew Bolton 1-1 away to make it no wins in 12 games. Villa hosts relegation-threatened Hull at Villa Park on Monday.

"I think it's massively important that we finish fifth this season," Friedel said. "If we do that, it's been a step up from the previous campaign. As long as there is a progression made, everyone -- the fans, chairman, managers and players -- will be upbeat about the coming season."

Season: 41 games played (0 substitute appearances).

Tim Howard, Everton: The Toffees suffered an FA Cup hangover April 25, falling to Manchester City -- one of the worst road teams in the division -- 2-1 at Goodison Park. Brazilian Robinho scored one and set up the other to inflict only the second defeat in 13 matches on Howard and teammates.

Howard kept a clean sheet Sunday, with Everton downing struggling Sunderland 2-0 away to temporarily leapfrog Villa. He only needed to make two saves.

Everton faces Chelsea in the FA Cup final May 30 after upsetting Manchester United on penalties.

Season: 44 (0)

Clint Dempsey, Fulham: There was no repeat performance for Dempsey when the Cottagers faced Chelsea on Saturday. In late December, he scored twice in a pulsating 2-2 tie.

This time, Dempsey was kept off the score sheet as Chelsea, playing Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka up front for the first time this season, won comfortably 3-1.

Dempsey, one of the highest-scoring midfielders in the Premier League, almost netted against Stoke on April 25, shooting just wide in the first half. Fulham is fighting it out with West Ham, Manchester City and Tottenham for the final Europa League spot.

Season: 30 (8): 8 goals.

Brad Guzan, Aston Villa: Guzan's apprenticeship continues in Birmingham. He backed up Friedel against Bolton.

Season: 7 (1): 0

Jonathan Spector, West Ham: Spector returned to the squad less than a month after suffering a concussion and swallowing his tongue in a collision with Sunderland's well-built central defender Tal Ben Haim, getting a spot on the bench against Chelsea and Stoke City.

"I don't remember the incident itself," said the defender, hoping to land the right-back slot next season. "I went up for the header and there was a clash of heads. There was nothing in it, just two players going up for the ball, and I came off a little bit worse than he did."

Spector missed most of the first half of the campaign with a hip injury.

"I was fit and getting back into the side and getting a run of games when this happened," he said. "It's just a minor setback, though."

Season: 3 (4): 0

Championship

Jay DeMerit, Watford: Mission accomplished for DeMerit and the Hornets.

In relegation trouble for most of the season, Watford won back-to-back games to end the season, topping Coventry 3-2 away on April 25 and Derby 3-1 at home Sunday. DeMerit started both games in the center of defense despite dealing with a tight groin.

Watford finished mid-table in 13th, 12 points above the drop zone.

Season: 36 (1): 1

Marcus Hahnemann, Reading: So steady since his return to the lineup after a calf injury, Hahnemann erred in Reading's biggest game of the season Sunday against Birmingham.

As it turned out, a win would have sent the Royals back to the Promised Land of the Premier League, but Birmingham won 2-1 on the road to earn automatic promotion instead.

Hahnemann, who recently made his 300th appearance for Reading, let Keith Fahey's tame effort get past him in the 19th minute, and that set the tone. Reading, without a home win since the end of January, fell behind 2-0 early in the second half.

"The manner of the first goal really knocked the stuffing out of us," Reading manager Steve Coppell said. "And after that we really struggled to generate any fluent play in the first 45 minutes."

Finishing fourth, Reading faces surging Burnley in the two-leg playoffs that begin this week.

Season: 33 (0): 0

Eddie Johnson, Cardiff City (loan from Fulham): In the playoff spots for virtually the entire season, the Bluebirds heartbreakingly -- for them -- finished outside the top six thanks to three losses and a draw in their final four matches.

Johnson, somewhat of a fan favorite in Cardiff, came on as a late substitute in a 2-2 draw at bottom-feeders Charlton on April 21 and a 3-0 loss at home against Roy Keane's Ipswich four days later. The forward was an unused sub versus Sheffield Wednesday in a 1-0 loss Sunday.

Preston -- which routed Cardiff 6-0 on April 18 -- pulled ahead of Cardiff in sixth on goals scored after they tied on goal difference.

Season: 11 (20): 2

Frankie Simek, Sheffield Wednesday: The right back's injury-riddled season continued when he missed out against Bristol City on April 25 because of a thigh injury.

Simek recovered and landed a spot on the bench Sunday against Cardiff.

Season: 4 (2): 0

League One

Jemal Johnson, MK Dons: Johnson, a speedy winger, didn't make the squad for three games in a row when manager Roberto Di Matteo omitted him against Walsall and Northampton. (Johnson, according to reports, turned down a new contract and is paying the price.)

He finally returned in the Dons' final regular-season game, featuring for 38 minutes in a 1-0 win at Hereford on Saturday.

Pipped by Peterborough for automatic promotion, the Dons meet Scunthorpe in the playoffs.

Season: 23 (14): 6

Spain, Primera Liga

Jozy Altidore, Xerez (loan from Villarreal): Altidore, recovering from toe surgery, didn't feature in three games for Xerez. The striker has yet to make his debut for the second-division leaders.

Season: 3 (4): 1

Italy, Serie B

Danny Szetela, Brescia (loan from Racing Santander): Brescia, still alive in the chase for automatic promotion to Serie A, tied Mantova 0-0 and Albinoleffe 1-1; Szetela, a holding midfielder, didn't make the squad yet again.

Reports emanating from Poland -- Szetela has Polish roots -- suggest Wisla Krakow, one of the country's powerhouses, is chasing the 21-year-old.

Season: 8 (5): 1

Serie C1

Gabriel Ferrari, Perugia (loan from Sampdoria): After scoring his first goal of the season April 11, the promising forward hasn't been able to crack the squad, games against Real Marcianise and Foligno on April 26 and May 3 included.

Season: 3 (11): 1

Germany, Bundesliga

Steve Cherundolo, Hannover 96: Cherundolo, Hannover's regular at right back, is out for the season after undergoing hip surgery in Hannover last month.

Season: 16 (2): 0

Michael Bradley, Borussia Moenchengladbach: Close to escaping the relegation zone two weeks ago, Moenchengladbach slipped to second last following a 1-1 home draw against fellow relegation contenders Arminia Bielefeld on April 26 and a 2-1 loss at Bayern Munich on Saturday.

Bradley came close to equalizing in the 77th minute against Bayern, his header narrowly going over the bar. (Bradley scored against Bayern in November.) It was Bayern's first game under interim boss Jupp Heynckes, who replaced the beleaguered Jurgen Klinsmann.

Season: 22 (2): 5

Bryan Arguez, Hertha Berlin: With the season coming to an end, Arguez, a midfielder, still seeks a maiden appearance.

Season: No appearances

Sal Zizzo, Hannover 96: Making an appearance against Hamburg and on the bench versus Hertha, Zizzo failed to make the squad as Hannover topped Cologne and Bochum to realistically end its relegation worries.

Season: 0 (5): 0

France, Ligue 1

Freddy Adu, Monaco (loan from Benfica): Adu maintained his spot on the bench, but still didn't make any appearances against Le Mans on April 26 and Auxerre on Saturday.

"I am sure my game is progressing," the much-hyped forward wrote in his blog for Monaco on April 21. "I work very hard in training every day, and I know that I am improving. This has been a good experience for me. In Europe, you always have to fight for playing time. There are so many talented guys out there, it's going to be difficult wherever you go. I have learned a lot this year and matured as a person and player. I am confident in my ability, and I know my time will come."

Season: 1 (9): 0

Carlos Bocanegra, Rennes: Rennes lost to Bordeaux in a 3-2 thriller and dumped PSG 1-0, but the highlight of the fortnight for the left back and Rennes was topping Grenoble 1-0 on April 21 to reach a first French Cup final in 38 years.

Rennes will be the heavy favorite at the Stade de France in Paris on May 9, up against second-division Guingamp.

Season: 38 (1): 2

Belgium, Jupiler League

Oguchi Onyewu, Standard Liege: Standard still trails Anderlecht on goal difference atop the table after both clubs dropped points over the weekend. Standard tied Zulte Waregem 0-0, with Onyewu back in the heart of defense, and Anderlecht needed an injury-time effort to draw Tubize 1-1.

Standard and Anderlecht registered easy wins the weekend before over FC Malines and Dender, respectively. Onyewu missed out due to a suspension.

On paper, Standard, the defending champions, has the tougher schedule, facing third-place Bruges and fourth-place Gantoise. Anderlecht plays 16th-place Roulers and seventh-place Genk.

Season: 41 (1): 5

Scotland, Premier League

DaMarcus Beasley, Rangers: Fit again following a rib injury, Beasley didn't make the squad in a 3-0 FA Cup semifinal win over St. Mirren on April 25 and a 2-0 win over Hearts on Sunday.

Season: 7 (5): 0

Maurice Edu, Rangers: Edu started in midfield against St. Mirren and Hearts, and it appears the 23-year-old will be a starter next season.

There's still work to be done this season, though, with Rangers hosting Celtic in a title decider May 9. The blue side of Glasgow trails by a point and has lost both home games to the Hoops this season.

"We're going to have to come out and deliver," Edu said. "We know what we're capable of and what kind of game it's going to be. It might just end being a battle, and we need to be prepared for anything. We'd obviously like to go out and play the way we can, but it might not be like that."

Season: 10 (2): 2

Denmark, Superligaen

Danny Califf, FC Midtjylland: Midtjylland, which had high hopes this season, lingers in no man's land in fourth, well away from relegation but well adrift of a European spot.

Califf and company ended a three-game losing streak May 3 by downing Nordsjaelland 2-0 away. The defensive stalwart also started and played all 90 minutes in a 4-2 loss at home to relegation contenders Sonderjyske and a 2-1 loss at league leaders Copenhagen.

Season: 23 games played, 0 goals

Jeremiah White, Aarhus: White scored his third goal of the season against Sonderjyske on April 22, netting as a substitute in the 76th minute of a 3-0 win. He started the next fixture, a 1-0 win over Nordsjaelland that extended Aarhus' winning streak to three games.

White hopes for another start when mid-table Aarhus visits third-place Odense.

Season: 27 games played, 3 goals

Benny Feilhaber, Aarhus: Feilhaber, a midfielder just back from a serious knee injury, played the final four minutes against Sonderjyske and replaced White in the 70th minute against Nordsjaelland.

Season: 5 games played, no goals

Michael Parkhurst, Nordsjaelland: It's four straight losses for Parkhurst and Nordsjaelland, five points above the drop zone. Apart from the defeats against Aarhus and Midtjylland, Nordsjaelland fell 2-1 to title-chasing Brondby.

Parkhurst didn't miss a minute as he lined up in the center of defense.

Season: 11 games played, 0 goals

Marcus Tracy, Aalborg: Hard to believe Aalborg played in the Champions League and pushed Manchester City hard in the UEFA Cup this season.

The club is winless in six games in the league, losing five. Tracy, a striker who has shown promise since his arrival from Wake Forest University this year, entered as a 60th-minute substitute in an 0-0 home draw against last-place Vejle. He contested the first 81 minutes of a 3-1 loss at improving Esbjerg, taking advantage of some injuries up front, and came on as a 70th-minute substitute versus mid-table Randers in a 2-1 loss at home, only to suffer a thigh injury and be replaced in the 83rd.

As a result, he missed Aalborg's Danish Cup second-leg semifinal against Brondby; Aalborg tied 1-1 and advanced to the final on away goals following a 3-3 result in the opener.

Aalborg faces Copenhagen in the final. In a dress rehearsal Sunday, Copenhagen coasted to a 3-0 league win, Tracy not dressing.

Season: 7 games played, 1 goals

Sweden, Allsvenskan

Charlie Davies, Hammarby: Davies helped Hammarby escape the relegation zone on April 20, netting in a 3-1 win over Djurgarden in a Stockholm derby. The striker also started, but didn't get a score, in a 1-0 loss to Goteborg and a 2-2 tie against GAIS.

Season: 6 games played, 2 goals

Ravi Ubha is a London-based freelance journalist covering Americans abroad for ESPNsoccernet. He also covers tennis for ESPN.com.