DaMarcus Beasley continues to hold the top spot in Soccer America Magazine's Top 20 Americans Abroad rankings for the 2004-05 season through mid-October.
The rankings take into account players' form and their clubs' success, primarily in league play, and is weighted based on the competitive level of the league in which they play.
1. DaMarcus Beasley
(F, PSV Eindhoven, Dutch Eredivisie)
After returning from national team duty in mid-September, a fatigued Beasley sat out a Champions League game and was used as a sub in two league games, but he returned to the starting lineup and scored in a 3-0 Oct. 2 win over Gronigen as PSV maintained a three-point lead atop the Eredivisie.
League stats: 6 games, 2 goals. Champions League stats: 3 games, 1 goal.
2. Oguchi Onyewu
(D, Standard Liege, Belgian Juliper League)
Played every minute in seven of eight games, sitting out one game with a suspension for collecting three yellow cards, for fifth-place Standard. Started both legs as Standard downed VfL Bochum to reach the group stage of the UEFA Cup.
League stats: 7 games, 0 goals. UEFA Cup stats: 2 games, 0 goals.
3. Marcus Hahnemann
(G, Reading, English Championship League)
The 32-year-old has played every minute of ReadingÆs games this season, his third at the club and sixth in England. He gave up just four goals as a five-game undefeated streak took Reading to third place of EnglandÆs second-tier league.
League stats: 12 games, 0 goals
4. Brad Friedel
(G, Blackburn, English Premier League)
The only American keeper still starting in Premier League play, Friedel has notched one shutout for Blackburn, which has only one win and lies just above the relegation zone.
League stats: 8 games, 0 goals.
5. Daniel Hernandez
(M, Necaxa, Mexican Torneo Apertura)
The 28-year-old Texan started every game of the Torneo Apertura but NecaxaÆs five losses mean Los Rayos must surge to win a playoff spot.
League stats: 9 games, 0 goals.
6. Steve Cherundolo
(D, Hannover 96, German Bundesliga 1)
After two losses and two ties in its first four games, Hannover picked up a couple wins and moved from second-to-last to 10th place. Cherundolo, the Hannover captain, has played every minute this season.
League stats: 7 games, 0 goals.
7. Carlos Bocanegra
(D, Fulham, English Premier League) Played every minute of 14th-place Fulham's first five games before being sidelined with a hamstring injury, then returned as a sub in a 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace Oct. 4.
League stats: 6 games, 1 goal.
8. Claudio Reyna
(M, Man. City, English Premier League)
Played every minute of 12th-place Manchester CityÆs first six games before suffering a quadriceps injury and missing the next two league games (a loss and a tie).
League stats: 6 games, 0 goals
9. Brian McBride
(F, Fulham, English Premier League) After coming on as a late sub in FulhamÆs first five games and sitting out a 1-1 tie with West Brom Sept. 18, McBride started in a win over Southampton and a loss to Crystal Palace. Scored in a League Cup win over fourth-tier Boston United.
League stats: 7 games, 0 goals.
10. Brian West
(F, Fredrikstad, Norwegian Tippeligaen)
The 26-year-old attacker has been a key to pulling Fredrikstad out of the relegation zone. With three games left, the newly promoted club is two points above the drop zone.
League stats: 19 games, 6 goals.
11. Robbie Russell
(D, Rosenborg, Norwegian Tippeligaen)
A consistent starter in league play after recovering from an injury shortly after his arrival in July from Sogndal. Came off the bench in UEFA Champions League games against Panathinaikos (2-1 loss) and Arsenal (1-1). Rosenborg is first in the Norwegian league.
League stats: 19 games; 2 goals. Champions League stats: 2 games.
12. Greg Vanney
(D, Bastia, French Ligue 1)
The left back has made six starts and came off the bench once for Bastia, which followed a six-game undefeated streak with three straight losses.
League stats: 7 games, 0 goals.
13. Eddie Lewis
(M, Preston, English Championship League)
Started 10 and came off the bench once in the first 12 games for Preston, which lies in the middle of the standings of EnglandÆs second-tier league. Also started in both of PrestonÆs League Cup wins, but was red-carded after receiving a second yellow for high-fiving a fan after assiting on a goal against Mansfield.
League stats: 11 games, 0 goals.
14. Tim Howard
(G, Man. Utd., English Premier League)
After blunders in league play and in a Champions League draw with Lyon, the 25-year-old lost his starting spot to Roy Carroll in mid-September.
League stats: 6 games, 0 goals. Champions League stats: 3 games, 0 goals.
15. Clint Mathis
(M, Hannover, German Bundesliga 1)
Scored his first goal for Hannover in seven months in a key 1-0 win over Schalke 04, but insulted his coach during the celebration. He has three starts and one appearance off the bench.
League stats: 4 game, 1 goal.
16. Jonathan Spector
(D, Man Utd., English Premier League)
On the bench since August because of the arrival of Argentine defender Gabriel Heinze and the return from suspension of Rio Ferdinand, but did well enough in three starts to get a shot in the future.
League stats: 2 games, 0 goals. Champions League stats: 1 game, 0 goals.
17. Gregg Berhalter
(D, Energie Cottbus, German Second Division)
Returned to starting role in the fifth game of the season after a four-month absence because of facial injuries. Is captaining Cottbus, which is in 11th place.
League stats: 3 games, 0 goals.
18. Conor Casey
(F, Mainz, German Bundesliga 1)
Has come off the bench in the second half in five games and started once. Still looking for first Mainz league goal after notching 14 in the Second Division last season for Karlsruhe.
League stats: 6 games, 0 goals.
19. Bobby Convey
(M, Reading, English Championship League)
The 21-year-old midfielder has made two league starts for Reading, which is in third place of the second-tier English league. He also started in 3-0 League Cup loss to Watford.
League stats: 6 games, 0 goals.
20. Wade Barrett
(F, Fredrikstad, Norwegian Tippeligaen)
Has kept a starting spot since recovering from injury shortly after his arrival from Danish club Aarhus.
League stats: 5 games, 0 goals.
DISPATCHES: JOE ENOCHSÆ long-range strike in German Third Division OsnabrueckÆs 3-2 German Cup loss to Bayern Munich was elected ôGoal of the Monthö for September on German TVÆs popular ARD-Sportschau. à KASEY KELLER made his first appearance for Tottenham in a 6-0 League Cup win Sept. 22 over Oldham. … YURI MORALES, a Santa Cruz, Calif., product who played collegiate ball at the University of Massachusetts, made his Danish Super League for Viborg Sept. 22 as a sub and played the full 90 in 2-0 win over Esbjerg Sept. 26. … Texan KENNY COOPER has made two starts and has come off the bench thrice for Academia, second-to-last in the Portuguese First Division.