[AMERICANS ABROAD] Clint Dempsey started 2012 with a bang, scoring a hat trick in Fulham's third-round win in the English FA Cup, He almost matched that Saturday with two goals and an assist -- his best game of the 2012-13 season -- in Tottenham's 3-0 win over Coventry City in the third round of the competition. In Mexico, Herculez Gomez started for Santos and scored in its 1-1 tie at San Luis. For more on Americans abroad ...

-- U.S. national team captain Carlos Bocanegra did not dress for Racing Santander's 2-1 win over Ponferradina in Spain's Segunda Division.

According to Racing coach Jose Aurelio Gay, Bocanegra was unavailable because of "jet lag" and problems with his residency visa following his return from California after the holidays, though local media dubbed his absence "strange" and "an unresolved mystery." Serbian Andriya Kaludjerovic did not dress for the same reasons.

-- Tijuana, winner of the Liga MX's Torneo Apertura, opened the second half of the Mexican season with a 2-1 win at Puebla in a match that featured four American starters: Edgar Castillo and Joe Corona for Tijuana and DaMarcus Beasley and Michael Orozco Fiscal, in his debut, for Puebla.

England (FA Cup)
Geoff Cameron (90 minutes), Stoke City, 0-0 at Crystal Palace
Clint Dempsey (90 minutes, 2 goals, 1 assist), Tottenham, 3-0 vs. Coventry City
Conor Doyle (sub: 12 minutes), Derby County, 5-0 vs. Tranmere Rovers
Stuart Holden (did not dress), Bolton Wanderers, 2-2 vs. Sunderland
Maurice Edu (did not dress), Stoke City, 0-0 at Crystal Palace
Brad Friedel (90 minutes), Tottenham, 3-0 vs. Coventry City
Brad Guzan(did not play), Aston Villa, 2-1 vs. Ipswich Town
Tim Howard, Everton, at Cheltenham Town (Monday)
Eric Lichaj (90 minutes), Aston Villa, 2-1 vs. Ipswich Town
Sebastian Lletget (did not dress), West Ham United, 2-2 vs. Man. United
Will Packwood (65 minutes), Birmingham City, 1-1 vs. Leeds United
Tim Ream (did not play), Bolton Wanderers, 2-2 vs. Sunderland
Jonathan Spector (did not dress), Birmingham City, 1-1 vs. Leeds United
Zak Whitbread(did not dress), Leicester City, 2-0 vs. Burton Albion

Dempsey interview:


Italy (Serie A)
Michael Bradley, Roma, 1-4 at Napoli

Mexico (Liga MX, Apertura)
Isaac Acuna (did not dress), Atlante, 0-2 at Pachuca
DaMarcus Beasley (71 minutes), Puebla, 1-2 vs. Tijuana
Jonathan Bornstein (did not dress), Tigres, 3-0 vs. Chiapas
Edgar Castillo (90 minutes, 1 yellow card), Tijuana, 2-1 at Puebla
Joe Corona (60 minutes), Tijuana, 2-1 at Puebla
Daniel Cuevas (did not dress), Santos, 1-1 at San Luis
Greg Garza (did not dress), Tijuana, 2-1 at Puebla
Herculez Gomez (73 minutes, 1 goal), Santos, 1-1 at San Luis
Benji Joya (did not dress), Santos, 1-1 at San Luis
Bernie Magana (did not dress), UNAM, 1-1 vs. Atlas
Michael Orozco Fiscal (90 minutes), Puebla, 1-2 vs. Tijuana
Jose Torres (did not dress), Tigres, 3-0 vs. Chiapas

Gomez goal:


Portugal (Liga Zon Sagres)
Arturo Alvarez (did not dress), Pacos de Ferreira, 1-0 at Sporting Lisbon
Sergio Duarte (did not play), Nacional, 0-1 at Porto
Caleb Patterson-Sewell (90 minutes), Vitoria Setubal, 2-4 at Academica de Coimbra
Tony Taylor (did not dress), Estoril, 1-3 vs. Benfica

Spain (La Liga)
Oguchi Onyewu (did not dress), Malaga, 0-1 at Dep. Coruna

Spain (Segunda Division)
Carlos Bocanegra (did not dress), Racing Santander, 2-1 vs. Ponferradina