Adu struggles for playing time in Europe

Freddy Adu has been mainly a spectator with Benfica since arriving in Europe. The 18-year-old American transferred to the Portuguese club last summer from Real Salt Lake and has played just 64 minutes over 2 1/2 months, appearing twice as a substitute.

Now he's training with the U.S. national team ahead of Wednesday night's exhibition game at Switzerland.

"Freddy is a great talent," said U.S. midfielder DaMarcus Beasley, who had similar problems getting playing time during stretches when he was with PSV Eindhoven. "He just needs to keep his head straight and not get too down on himself, and when he gets his chances to take them."

Adu moved to Benfica on July 31 for a $1.5 million transfer fee. He made his debut on Aug. 14, entering in the 37th minute of a Champions League qualifier against Copenhagen. Then coach Fernando Santos was fired on Aug. 20, two days after Benfica played a 1-1 tie in its Portuguese league opener.

Since former Spain coach Jose Antonio Camacho took over, Adu's only appearance was in the final 11 minutes of a league match against Sporting Lisbon on Sept. 30.

"It's normal that a young player needs time to move along in a team like Benfica, and it's the same way in the national team," U.S. coach Bob Bradley said Tuesday. "He must show everyone that he is learning, that he is picking up little things every day."

Adu has played just once for the U.S. national team, entering as an 81st-minute substitute in an exhibition against Canada on Jan. 22, 2006. At 16, he was the youngest player in the history of the U.S. national team.

Adu made his Major League Soccer debut with D.C. United as a 14-year-old, one of the youngest American athletes to perform professionally. He has struggled but also shown flashes of talent — he scored three goals for the United States in a 6-1 rout of Poland at last summer's FIFA Under-20 World Cup.

Adu declined to speak with reporters Tuesday. Beasley, now in his first season with Glasgow Rangers, said it was understandable that Adu would need some time to work his way into Benfica's lineup.

"Rui Costa is a legend and you are not going to just come in and play in front of him," Beasley said. "The European lifestyle and the European way of soccer is different from in America. One day you can be loved, and the next day you are not loved. That's how it is with the fans, the media, with coaches — they don't like something they see and they put you in the second team. That's just the way it is."

After starting 10-0-1 under Bradley, the United States has lost five straight games, its longest losing streak in 13 years. With one more loss, the Americans would be on their worst skid since dropping 12 in a row from October 1973 to August 1975.

Bradley downplayed recent results, stressing the importance of playing tough opponents in Europe as preparation for the start of World Cup qualifying in June. The Americans lost 1-0 at Sweden in August, their first game in Europe since Bradley took over from Bruce Arena. They were 2-10-3 in Europe during eight years under Arena.

Switzerland, co-host of next year's European Championship, has won three of its last five games, beating Austria, Chile and the Netherlands. The Swiss tied Argentina and lost to Japan.

"We haven't played well in Europe, and away from Europe, for a while now, not just this year," Beasley said. "This game is still a friendly, but for us to get a result and to keep moving forward is important."