Midweek International Round Up

Jozy Altidore registers a hat-trick and assist in USA’s win in Bosnia as Edin Dzeko scores twice for the hosts. Santi Cazorla produces a goal and assist, while Alvaro Negredo also finds the net as Spain ease past Ecuador. Theo Walcott recovers from an ankle complaint to net against Scotland but is forced off with a knee problem, while Luis Suarez and Shinji Kagawa both find the net as Japan and Uruguay battle out a six-goal thriller. Here’s a quick heads-up on the international game time of Premier League players over the past 24 hours:

Japan 2 Uruguay 4
Six Premier League players took part in yesterday morning’s match in Tokyo. Southampton centre-half Maya Yoshida and United’s Shinji Kagawa started for the hosts – the former was subbed off after 56 minutes, while Kagawa lasted the full 90 minutes and grabbed a goal. Luis Suarez and new West Brom signing Diego Lugano started for the visitors – Suarez producing a goal and assist over his 90-minute appearance. Southampton Gaston Ramirez climbed off the bench with half an hour remaining, while Liverpool’s Sebastien Coates replaced Lugano in the heart of defence with 10 minutes remaining.

Chile 6 Iraq 0
Cardiff’s new midfield enforcer Gary Medel and United’s young attacker Angelo Henriquez both lasted the full game for the hosts, with the latter amongst the goals in an easy win.

Sweden 4 Norway 2
Fulham skipper Brede Hangeland lasted the full 90 minutes for the beaten visitors, while Martin Olsson and Seb Larsson were both named in the Sweden starting line-up. Olsson was replaced at half-time and Larsson made way with just less than an hour on the clock after providing an assist for his side’s opener.

Colombia 1 Serbia 0
Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic started for the visitors before making way on 61 minutes in one of six second-half changes. City left-back Aleksandar Kolarov warmed the bench for the entire match.

Liechtenstein 2 Croatia 3
A couple of Premier League players climbed off the bench for the visitors. Everton forward Nikica Jelavic was introduced at the break, while Southampton centre-half Dejan Lovren made a brief appearance with just five minutes left on the clock.

South Africa 0 Nigeria 2
Newcastle’s in-form Shola Ameobi started the game for the visitors but made way at the break. Chelsea winger Victor Moses climbed off the bench at half-time and was also handed a 45-minute run out.

Bosnia 3 USA 4
Five Premier League players started the seven-goal thriller. Asmir Begovic and Edin Dzeko lasted the full match for the beaten hosts, with the City forward maintaining his recent good form with a brace. Tim Howard, Stoke right-back Geoff Cameron and Sunderland’s new boy Jozy Altidore lined up in opposition and the night belonged to the Black Cats summer signing, who racked up a hat-trick and assist ahead of the weekend’s home game against Fulham.

Ecuador 0 Spain 2
Arsenal’s Santi Cazorla was the star of the show, producing a goal and assist as the World Champions eased to victory. The Gunners playmaker was one of three Premier League players in the Spain first XI, along with City pair David Silva and Alvaro Negredo – Cazorla lasted 78 minutes before making way, while Negredo (who notched the other Spain goal) and Silva were replaced at half-time, with Etihad team-mate Jesus Navas coming on for the latter in midfield. Cesar Azpilicueta was an unused sub ahead of Chelsea’s double Gameweek. For those eyeing up City coverage, it’s perhaps worth considering that Negredo also approaches the weekend in strong form. He has now scored in each of his last three games for club and country – intriguingly, he lasted 90 minutes in last weekend’s defeat by Arsenal while Dzeko was replaced by Navas at the break.

Austria 0 Greece 2
Villa’s Andreas Weimann played the full 90 minutes as the lone forward for the hosts but was unable to prevent his country from falling to defeat.

Switzerland 1 Brazil 0
Tottenham’s Paulinho and Chelsea’s Oscar were both named in midfield for the beaten visitors. The latter was withdrawn on the hour mark, though the Spurs new boy lasted the full 90 minutes. David Luiz was an unused sub for Brazil, while Philippe Senderos earned 45 minutes as a starter for the Swiss before he was replaced at the break.

Poland 3 Denmark 2
Arsenal’s Wojciech Szczesny and Southampton’s Artur Boruc were each afforded 45 minutes between the sticks. The Gunners man was beaten twice before making way at half-time, with the Saints stopper keeping out his opponents in the second period.

Germany 3 Paraguay 3
Per Mertesacker started the match for the hosts before making way at the break. Arsenal team mate Lukas Podolski climbed off the bench with half an hour remaining, while Chelsea new boy Andre Schurrle was given just nine minutes game time as a late second-half sub.

Italy 1 Argentina 2
Newcastle skipper Fabricio Coloccini and City’s Pablo Zabaleta were both named on the bench for the visitors. Coloccini was handed an 18-minute sub appearance towards the end of the second-half while the latter warmed the bench all night.

Macedonia 2 Bulgaria 0
Villa’s new signing Aleksandar Tonev continued his comeback from a brief summer injury by turning out for 66 minutes before making way for the beaten visitors.

Wales 0 Republic of Ireland 0
A goalless draw was overshadowed by the absence of Gareth Bale from last night’s match. The Spurs man was laid low by an ongoing foot problem as rumours of a move to Madrid continue to abound, while Aaron Ramsey and James Collins also withdrew for the hosts. Here’s a list of the game time accrued by those with Premier League clubs:

Wales: Myhill, B Davies & Williams, 90 mins. Allen 86 mins, Collison 82 mins, Bellamy 59 mins. Subs – N Taylor 16 mins. Unused subs – A Richards, Vaughan, Gabbidon.

Republic of Ireland: Westwood, Coleman, Wilson, Clark – 90 mins. O’Shea 60 mins, Whelan 60 mins, Hoolahan 69 mins, Long 74 mins, Walters 84 mins, Brady 45 mins. Unused Subs – Meyler, McShane, Henderson.

Northern Ireland 1 Russia 0
Fulham’s Aaron Hughes, West Brom’s Gareth McAuley and Southampton midfielder Steven Davis all managed the full 90 minutes in a surprise home win last night.

England 3 Scotland 2
Theo Walcott recovered from the ankle problem sustained in training to start for the hosts, while Wayne Rooney was also named in the XI despite a lack of game time for United over the summer. A James Morrison strike put the Scots ahead before Walcott, Danny Welbeck and sub Rickie Lambert sealed the win, with Tom Cleverley, Steven Gerrard and Leighton Baines providing the respective assists.

England: Hart; Walker, Cahill, Jagielka (Jones 84), Baines; Walcott (Zaha 75 ) Gerrard (Oxlade-Chamberlain 62) Wilshere (Lampard 46), Cleverley (Milner 67 ), Welbeck, Rooney (Lambert – 67 )

Scotland – McGregor, Martin and Whittaker 90 mins. Morrison 82 mins, Snodgrass 66 mins, Naismith (sub, 4 mins). Dorrans unused sub.

Walcott was subbed off with 15 minutes remaining after picking up a knee problem but the Arsenal man revealed after the game he expects to be fit for Saturday’s home game with Villa. Further prognosis will be eagerly awaited by Fantasy managers, with the winger currently one of the most popular midfield picks right across the Fantasy games:

“Hopefully, fingers crossed, I’ll be alright. I had to come off with a little bit of a swollen knee so fingers crossed I can rest up and I’ll be alright for Saturday.”

Portugal 1 Holland 1
Michel Vorm and Robin Van Persie both started for the visitors. While the Swansea stopper last the while match, Van Persie was subbed off just before the hour mark – Chelsea’s Marco Van Ginkel was also involved, climbing off the bench at the break. Villa’s Ron Vlaar was an unused sub.

Belgium 0 France 0
With several domestic stars taking place in this one, here’s a list of Premier League starters and subs from the goalless draw:

Belgium – Kompany & Fellaini 90 mins, Hazard 74 mins, De Bruyne (Dembele 85), Chadli (Mirallas 71), Lukaku (Benteke 60). Mignolet unused sub.

France – Lloris, Sagna, Clichy & Koscielny 90 mins. Subs: Nasri 27 mins, Giroud 16 mins. Unused subs – Evra, Debuchy, Sissoko.

Post-match reports suggest Bacary Sagna is an early doubt for Arsenal’s opener at home to Villa on Saturday after sustaining an ankle problem.

Mexico 4 Ivory Coast 1
Swansea’s Wilfried Bony started for the visitors in a game that took place in the early hours of Thursday morning. The forward was given a 72-minute run out before making way for former Arsenal man Gervinho.