B rad Friedel had the easier day on the field as the former U.S. national team goalkeeper, now with Tottenham, played an English Premier League match Wednesday against former teammate Landon Donovan, on loan to Everton from the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Tottenham won 2-0, and Friedel didn’t have to make a save. Well, not in the net, anyway. He did try to save face after the match, when reporters asked him to clarify the critical comments he made about Donovan in a BBC radio interview a few weeks ago.

In praising Fulham’s American star: “You get a player like a Landon Donovan, who in my opinion chose to take the easy road and stay in the States. It’s much harder to ply your trade over here.”

The comment quickly made its way through the Twitter universe and blogosphere. Friedel apologized. He did it again after Wednesday’ match on a Fox Soccer Channel interview, calling it a “misunderstanding.”

“Landon Donovan is a tremendous player, and he’s done great, great things for U.S. soccer over the years,” said Friedel, who played for the United States’ 1994, 1998 and 2002 World Cup teams. “Listen, I don’t have one problem with Landon. Where he plays is entirely up to him. It’s fantastic for him that he’s re-signed for Everton. I know Everton loved him there the first time, and I’m sure he’s going to be great for them this time.” Friedel said his comments were taken out of context, and “in no way, shape or form was I bashing Landon Donovan.”

Donovan has remained mum on the subject.

MLS Draft recap

Duke forward Andrew Wenger was the first player taken in the MLS Draft last week, by the expansion Montreal Impact. Wenger won the Hermann Trophy — soccer’s equivalent of the Heisman — and was the Atlantic Coast Conference offensive player of the year this season and defensive player of the year last season. He had 17 goals and eight assists.

Going into the draft, Wenger and Jamaican-American Darren Mattocks, a forward from Akron, were expected to go 1-2, and the only question was which order. Mattocks wound up going second to the Vancouver Whitecaps. UCLA midfielder Kelyn Rowe went third to New England, followed by UC Santa Barbara’s Luis Silva to Toronto FC and Maryland forward Casey Townsend to Chivas USA.

“I knew from the get-go that it would be between me and Wenger,” Mattocks said. “They picked Wenger first, and that’s OK with me.” Mattocks scored 21 goals in 22 games last season, and was a Hermann Trophy semifinalist and the Mid-American Conference player of the year.

The Portmore, Jamaica, native, who plays on Jamaica’s U-23 team, certainly doesn’t lack confidence.

“They can’t leave Darren Mattocks in front of the goal because he’s going to put the ball in the back of the net,” he said upon being drafted. “I think my speed speaks volumes. I’m really quick, and I know how to get behind the back line.”

Another player with Caribbean roots — Haitian-American defender Andrew Jean-Baptiste, was taken with the No. 8 pick by Portland. Jean-Baptiste played at the University of Connecticut.

Asked about playing with new teammate James Marcelin, also of Haitian descent, Jean-Baptiste said: “It’s the first time I’m actually going to play with another Haitian other than my brother. It is going to be very exciting. I need to learn how to speak Creole, so that’s one thing that we are going to be practicing other than our foot skills at the stadium.”

Jones gets invite

Midfielder Jermaine Jones, currently serving an eight-game suspension from German club Schalke for intentionally stepping on an opponent’s foot, will join the U.S. national team’s training camp this week in California.

Said U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann: “Obviously, this is a very difficult moment for Jermaine. He regrets the incident and has apologized to the player, his coaches and his teammates. He respects the decision of the German Federation and accepts the punishment. While an unfortunate situation, it provides me the opportunity to call him in and continue to get him integrated with our system as we prepare the team for qualifying this summer.”

The United States plays Venezuela on Jan. 21 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.