Americans Abroad

Reyna could be out 3-4 more weeks with groin injury.

By Robert Wagman (in Washington, D.C.)]
and Chris Courtney (in Belgium)
SoccerTimes

(Monday, October 18, 2004) -- United States midfielder Claudio Reyna's has not responded to treatment for a right groin strain and will miss several more weeks of action for Manchester City in England's Premier League.

The United States men had hoped Reyna might have recovered in time for World Cup qualifiers against El Salvador October 9 and Panama October 13, but now it seems unlikely he will a available for the semifinal-round finale against Jamaica November 17 in Columus, Ohio. Fortunately, the Americans won't need him, having secured advancement to the final six-nation qualifying round robin.

Reyna apparently suffered the injury in Manchester City's 2-1 English Premier League victory over Crystal Palace September 25, then aggravated it three days later in training. While City manager Kevin Keegan originally thought there might be a "50-50" chance Reyna might play against Southampton October 2, the American has not progressed.

Keegan had hoped Reyna could be available last Saturday for a big meeting with second-place Chelsea, a home match City won 1-0 without him.

"Claudio is two-to-three weeks away we think," Keegan told his club's web site. "He has responded well to treatment but, there are certain movements that he cannot do. We are now looking at a different rehab program. We are saying two-to-three weeks, but it could be nearer to three-to-four. He hasn't played games, so that becomes a problem in terms of getting him back to match fitness. If you miss two weeks, then you can get away with it. If you miss three, then you are getting close to losing some match fitness.

"Once a player is out for four-or-five weeks, then you have got to work on his match fitness and it will probably take another week to get Claudio back up to speed. It is a blow to lose him for that length of time, but we will have to get on with it and someone else will get an opportunity.

The City midfield also lost Joe Barton to knee surgery, but is considered deep, though City is off to a somewhat disappointing start, sitting in a three-way tie for 11th place at 3-4-2 with 11 points. "If it was any other area in the squad, then we would have been talking about a crisis," Keegan said.

Many Americans did not play in Europe the past Weekend after spending a week and a half with the U.S. team.

Keeper Brad Friedel was not called in for the two qualifiers, but might have wished he was anywhere but Blackburn Rovers' Ewood Park Saturday after the team was drubbed 4-0 by Middlesbrough.

Rovers were not helped when Kerimoglu Tugay took his second yellow card and was ejected in the 30th minute with the match scoreless. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink took advantage of poor Blackburn marking to score the first of his three goals just before intermission.

In the second half, Middlesbrough replaced a defender with a third striker, leading to George Boateng scoring in the 50th minute Hasselbaink finding net seven minutes later. Hasselbaink completed his hat trick in stoppage time on a day when Friedel had seven saves.

The two keepers called in by U.S. coach Bruce Arena did not play this weekend. Kasey Keller, who posted shutouts against El Salvador and Panama, was on the bench yesterday for Tottenham Hotspur for a 1-0 road loss to Portsmouth. Spurs are in a three-way tie for seventh place at 3-2-4 with 13 points.

Tim Howard did not dress for Manchester United's disappointing 0-0 draw at Birmingham City. Man. U. is tied for fourth place at 3-1-5 with 14 points, but has fallen an uncomfortable 11 points behind EPL-leading Arsenal (8-0-1)

Striker Brian McBride and defender Carlos Bocanegra returned from U.S. qualifying to play 90 minutes for Fulham in a 4-2 setback to visiting Liverpool.

Fulham took a 2-0 lead into halftime on a pair of goals from Luis Boa Morte, both assisted by McBride. The first came on a well-placed cross, the second on a clever flick. An own goal in the 50th minute started Liverpool's comeback, with Milan Baros tying the game in the 71st minute and Xabi Alonso recording the game-winner eight minutes later.

In the second-tier English League Championship, midfielder Eddie Lewis returned from the U.S. and started on Preston North End's bench, but was called on in the 23rd minute to replace defender Marlon Broomes in a 1-0 loss at Leeds United. The testy match was won when Leeds' Danny Pugh scored in the 78th minute.

Lewis nearly tied the game in stoppage time, but his well-placed shot was saved by Leeds keeper Neil Sullivan just under the crossbar.

American keeper Marcus Hahnemann recorded his second straight clean sheet and fifth of the season for Reading which defeated host Stoke 1-0 Saturday. On four occasions, Hahnemann stopped shots from Stoke striker Ade Akinbiyi, two of which took exceptional efforts.

U.S. midfielder Bobby Convey, who was called in for qualifying, but did not play in either match, entered in the 80th minute for Reading which is tied for second place with Queen's Park Rangers with identical 8-3-2 record and 26 points, trailing Wigan (7-0-6) by a point.

Onyewu, 22, who made his first international appearance for the U.S., entering in the 86th minute of Wednesday's 6-0 rout of Panama, returned to go the distance Saturday in a 2-0 decision over Westerlo.

Standard, which signed Onyewu to a multi-year contract, is tied with La Louviere for third place, both teams at 5-2-2 with 17 points, six points behind first-place Club Brugge (7-0-2). Standard has won its last four outing by shutout

Onyewu played for the Metz reserve team in 2002 and spent last season loaned to La Louviere.

On Thursady, Standard takes on Steua Bucharest in the UEFA Cup. Bucharest is coached by Walter Zenga, the former star goalkeeper for Italy and Inter Milan.

In the Netherlands, midfielder DaMarcus Beasley, who went the distance in both U.S. qualifiers, was on the bench for PSV Eindhoven which defeated ADO Den Haag 2-0 in a match that was abandoned in the 80th minute because of offensive chants by the Haag crowd of 7,500.

In Norway, U.S. defender Robbie Russell went the distance for Rosenborg which dropped an important home match to Stabæk 2-1. With 10 minutes left, Russell nearly scored, but his blast was well saved.

Rosenborg (12-6-6, 42) was tied for first place after Vålerenga (11-4-9) tied visiting Sogndal 0-0

With American midfielder Brian West assisting on a goal, FFK Fredrikstad defeated Brann 3-2. American defender Wade Barrett also played a key role over 90 minutes for FFK.

West played only 65 minutes, but assisted on the second goal and converted a penalty kick for the third after he was brought down in the box.

U.S. defender\midfielder John O'Brien, after a long injury rehabilitation, returned the the Ajax Amsterdam bench, but did not play in a rare home loss, 3-1 to Heerenveen. Earlier in the week, O'Brien played a full match at left back with the reserve team against VV Noordwijk, then told reporters he felt fully fit and ready to join the first team.

In Portugal, American striker Kenny Cooper traveled with Académica for tonight's match with Setúbal.

Bodens (4-12-13, 25) is still in the relegation zone, a point from safety, with the season ending Saturday. Bodens, 14 th among 16 teams, travels to Falkenberg (8-16-5, 29), hoping to catch Enköping (5-13-11). Enköping finishes at last-place Friska-Viljor (5-22-2, 17). In case Bodens draws and Enköping loses, leaving the teams even, Bodens will win stay up because of better goal differential and Enköping will be demoted.

Viborg (6-3-2, 20) is in second place, trailing Brøndby (7-1-3) by four points. Had Midjylland (5-4-2, 17) won, it would have been in second and Viborg would have dropped to fourth.

Morales did play 90 minutes for the reserve team in a 1-1 draw Saturday.

Robert Wagman is a SoccerTimes senior correspondent. E-mail Robert Wagman.