[AMERICANS ABROAD] Clint Dempsey continues to be one of the few U.S. field players enjoying a good run with his foreign club.

Dempsey delivered a fine through ball that Andy Johnson finished for the opening goal in Fulham’s 3-2 win over Portsmouth.

Dempsey has appeared in 19 of Fulham’s 22 games this season. The Cottagers finished last season in 17th place in the 20-team league and escaped relation thanks to superior goal difference. But they are now in ninth place.

National team regulars, Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock, German Second Division) and DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers) are languishing on the bench. As are two young players – Freddy Adu (Monaco) and Maurice Edu (Glasgow Rangers) – who seemed in contention for a role in the Hexagonal. In Germany, Michael Bradley started again for Borussia Moenchengladbach but it suffered its league-high 13th loss.

Pearce, the USA’s first choice left back, has only three starts in nine appearances, and was left on the bench in Sunday’s 1-0 win at Duisburg when the German second division returned from winter break.

U.S. veteran Beasley and Edu again watched as their Scottish Premier League team, Glasgow Rangers, beat Dundee United, 2-0, and moved to within two points of leader Celtic.

Midfielder Adu stayed on the bench in Monaco’s 1-0 win vs. Grenoble.

Striker Jozy Altidore‘s loan from La Liga’s Villarreal to Spanish Second Division Xerez comes too late to get him game fit for the USA’s first Hexagonal game.

Better news comes for the backline – although right back Steve Cherundolo missed Hannover 96’s weekend game with a hip injury. Carlos Bocanegra helped Rennes to 0-0 tie with Toulouse. In Belgium, fellow central defender Oguchi Onyewu helped defending champ Standard Liege hold the top spot with a 3-0 win over Roeselare.

U.S. No. 1 goalkeeper Tim Howard made impressive saves for Everton in a 1-0 loss to Manchester United. Retired international keeper Brad Friedel made three saves in Aston Villa’s scoreless tie with Wigan Athletic.

In Mexico, midfielder Jose Francisco Torres, who is reportedly going to be part of the USA’s roster for the World Cup qualifier against Mexico Feb. 11, was a 62nd minute sub for Pachuca in its 1-1 tie vs. Atlante.

Defender Michael Orozco went the full 90 in San Luis’ 2-1 win over Chiapas on Saturday.

New Mexico product Edgar Castillo, who plays for Mexico but was left off the first Hexagonal roster, went the distance in Club America’s 1-0 loss against Morelia.