By Phil Schoen

It’s back to action after the international break and many of the U.S. players suiting up overseas were ready to play. Although once again, we start out in the managerial ranks. Bob Bradley made history this weekend, becoming the first American to manage a Premier League game. Some defensive miscues put Swansea in an early hole on the road against title contenders Arsenal, but the Swans turned it around in a narrow 3-2 loss at the Emirates. Bradley should have a slightly better chance to grab his first win in England’s topflight as they welcome 10th placed Watford to the Liberty Stadium on Saturday.

There could be two American managers in the Premier League next year as former national team striker David Wagner has Huddersfield in early contention for promotion from the Championship. However, the Terriers fell 1-0 to Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday to surrender the league lead, and slip to third.

Meanwhile, back in Wagner’s native Germany, a long time American ex-pat has his team in position for promotion. After a long playing career with VfL Osnabruck, 45-year-old Californian Joe Enochs is in his second year of managing the first team. Helped by former St. Louis Billiken star forward Robbie Kristo, Osnabruck pulled out a 2-1 win at Hansa Rostock over the weekend. The Lilywhites stand just four points behind Duisberg in the table.

ENGLAND

In England’s Championship, national team defensive midfielder Danny Williams got involved on the offensive side of the ball, scoring in Reading’s 1-1 draw at QPR.

Elsewhere, right back Eric Lichaj scored a special goal for Nottingham Forest in a 3-1 win over Birmingham City. The win snapped a seven match winless streak for Forest.

GERMANY

Pulled out of the mothballs by Jurgen Klinsmann, Eintracht Frankfurt right back Timmy Chandler jumped into the spotlight with an inspired performance against Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich. In addition to his defensive duties, Chandler set up Mexican striker Marco Fabian for the game-tying goal in a 2-2 draw.

Christian Pulisic got the start for Borussia Dortmund against fellow national teamer John Anthony Brooks and Hertha Berlin. Brooks was returning from a month-long injury layoff.

Fresh off his stellar return to the national team, Bayern Munich striker Julian Green got a vote of confidence from Bayern boss Carlo Ancelotti. The Italian manager said Green should see some action in Bayern’s upcoming games.

An injury to Leipzig’s Austrian striker Marcel Sabitzer could open the door to Terrence Boyd, who is just returning from injury himself.

In Germany’s third division, Jahn Regensburg’s Jann George scored his team’s lone goal in a 2-1 home loss against Duisberg. It was George’s seventh goal in 11 starts for Rothosen.

Former Cosmos and LA Galaxy phenom Haji Wright scored for Schalke’s under-19 side in their 2-0 win over Bochum, while FC Dallas product wore the captain’s armband for the home side.

 Former Cosmos and LA Galaxy phenom Haji Wright scored for Schalke’s under-19 side in their 2-0 win over Bochum, while FC Dallas product Weston McKennie wore the captain’s armband for the home side.

IRELAND

A fifth straight shutout for Ciaran Nugent in goal and midfielder Patrick McCann for Sligo Rovers in a 1-0 win over Longford Town. The victory keeps Sligo in contention for a Europa League berth.

MEXICO

While his recent stint with the national team was underwhelming, goalkeeper William Yarbrough returned to lead Leon to a 3-2 win at Veracruz and lift his team to within a point of the playoffs with just four games remaining.

NETHERLANDS

Chelsea’s on-loan center back Matt Miazga made his first start for Vitesse Arnhem, stepping up for regular starter Maikel van der Werff. After being limited to three appearances off the bench, the 21-year-old New York Red Bulls product showed some early nerves, but put in a strong shift as Vitesse gained a road point and held on to the sixth spot in the Eredivisie.

NorCal teenager Joshua Pynadath scored his first goal since switching from Real Madrid to Ajax’s under-15 team in a 3-1 win at Amsterdamsche FC.

NORWAY

Another clean sheet for U.S. keeper Ethan Horvath, but fellow American Josh Gatt and the Molde attack was not able to score in a goal-less home draw against Sogndal. The point means Molde drops two points further out of a top three European berth in the Eliteserien.

Canadian international Olivier Occean found the net for Odd BK with an absolute scorcher, and then drew the game-winning penalty in a 2-1 win over Haugesund to keep his team in a Europa League slot, just three points ahead of Molde in the table.

SCOTLAND

Perry Kitchen wore the captain’s armband for Hearts while New York-born striker Bjorn Johnsen came off the bench to score his first for the Edinburgh club in a 2-0 home win over Dundee. The win lifted Hearts over Rangers to third in the Premiership.

SWEDEN

Former DC United goalkeeper Josh Wicks earned a clean sheet in a scoreless draw for AFC United against Syrianska in Sweden’s second division. Despite dropping two points, AFC holds on to one of the two automatic promotion spots to the Allsvenskan, with just three games remaining in the season.

Elsewhere in the Superetten, former Maryland Terrapin Paul Torres scored Assyriska’s late game-winner in a 4-3 thriller over Trelleborg. It was Torres’s first goal and gives his side a chance to avoid the drop to the third division.

That wraps up another busy week of digging for foreign gold. Feel free to add your comments below to share your thoughts, shout-outs and suggestions. We’re asking for your help to make sure nothing important gets overlooked. So tweet to us @beIN SPORTSUSA, or to me directly @PhilSchoen and use the hashtag #beINOverseas. We’ll pass it on.