Americans Abroad

Convey contributes to three goals to lead Reading past North End 3-0.

By Robert Wagman (in Washington, D.C.)
SoccerTimes

(Monday, August 15, 2005) -- United States midfielder Bobby Convey played a part in all three goals for Reading which blanked Preston North End 3-0 in a second-tier English League Championship match Saturday.

Convey won "Man of the Match" in assisting two goals by Lita and started the sequence that led to one by Glen Little. In the 34th minute, Convey cut in diagonally from the left flank and slid the ball to Lita, who put it into the roof of the net for a 1-0 lead.

Just before halftime, Convey sent a long pass to Lita who converted for a 2-0 advantage.

In the 57th minute, Convey passed to Nicky Shorey on the left flank for a cross to Little who put away a header.

Convey spent much of last season on the bench as he did not fit well into manager Steve Coppell's system. This season, Convey returned determined to prove to Coppell he deserves to start. Through the first two Reading matches, he seems to be proving that.

Convey was taken off for Steven Hunt in the 84th minute, received a standing ovation from the Reading faithful and was greeted by Coppell with an embrace.

Reading's American keeper, Marcus Hahnemann played well, although he was not very busy. He did well late when he extended full length to deny Graham Alexander's free kick and later substitute Danny Dichio's low header.

It was clear that North End misses American winger Eddie Lewis who moved from the club to Leeds United over the summer. On Saturday, Leeds played to a 0-0 draw with Luton which, with a pair of wins to start the season, sits at the top of the table.

Lewis played well. Early on, his perfectly-placed corner was headed wide by Jermaine Wright, and he shot past a defensive wall, but just inches wide in the second half.

Also in the League Championship, American defender Frankie Simek, who moved from Arsenal's reserve side to newly-promoted Sheffield Wednesday is starting and did well in a 1-0 setback to newly-relegated Southampton.

Sheffield, 0-1-2 in its first three matches, is having trouble getting its offense working, although its defense has performed well so far in the young season.

Another American defender, Jay DeMerit, who played at the Uinversity of Illinois-Chicago, went the full 90 minutes for Watford in its 3-1 win over Cardiff City. Watford's Jamaican striker Marlon King was too much for Cardiff, scoring a pair of goals and giving its defense fits all day.

Midfielder Claudio Reyna was wearing the captain's armband for Manchester City which had to settle for an uneventful 0-0 home draw with West Bromwich Albion. Reyna played well in the physical match, marred by a 10-man pushing and shoving match in the first half. Reyna had several good chances at goal, having three shots in the first half saved by West Brom keeper Chris Kirkland.

It looks like it might be another season-long battle to avoid relegation for goalkeeper Brad Friedel and his Blackburn Rovers. Blackburn dropped a 3-1 score to newly-promoted West Ham United.

Blackburn took a 1-0 lead after 17 minutes on an Andy Todd goal, but things went downhill from there. Teddy Sheringham got the equalizer for West Ham just after the start of the second half, Nigel Reo-Coker put it ahead and Matthew Etherington scored a third with 10 minutes remaining.

Actually, Friedel and West Ham keeper Roy Carroll, who moved over from Manchester United, both played well. Friedel ended the day with nine saves and could not be faulted on any of the West Ham goals.

"We have had a good preseason and at the moment we are scratching our heads because we didn't see this performance coming," Rovers manager Mark Hughes said. "It wasn't acceptable, but we will get better."

Fulham, with U.S. striker Brian McBride starting and playing well for 90 minutes, was disappointed with a 0-0 opening day draw with Birmingham City in a match in which it dominated.

McBride controlled the attacking box for Fulham and twice passed up good opportunities in order to feed Luis Boa Morte, who shot wide both times. On one occasion, Boa Morte found McBride with a headed pass, but McBride couldn't convert.

As was the case with the closing preseason outings, defender Carlos Bocanegra did not dress for Fulham, but manager Chris Coleman went out of his way to deny media rumors that he was seeking to unload the American back-liner. "He is and will continue to be a member of this squad," Coleman said.

American defender Jonathan Spector was injured did not make his debut with Charlton Athletic in its 3-1 opening day win over Sunderland. Spector, who came over from Manchester United's reserve squad, is sidelined with a hamstring pull.

Manchester United played twice this past week, an easy 3-0 victory over Hungary's Debrecen in a European Champions League qualifier and a 2-0 opening day Premiership triumph over Everton. U.S. keeper Tim Howard watched both matches from the bench with newly arrived Dutch national keeper Edwin Van der Saar turning in strong performances in both contests.

Americans Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96) and Conor Casey (FC Mainz) remain sidelined with injuruoes.

In the 2Bundesliga, Energie Cottbus was quite unhappy when its captain Gregg Berhalter was forced to miss an important nationally-televised match with VfL Bochum tonight because of a call-up to his national team for Wednesday night's World Cup qualifier against Trinidad & Tobago.

Cottbus coach Petrik Sander had hoped U.S. manager Bruce Arena would allow Berhalter to play tonight and then fly to Hartford, Conn., Tuesday. However, Arena had the right to call Berhalter in within 48 hours of match, according to international rules and the central defender is a likely starter Wednesday, so the request was denied.

Cottbus also expects that Berhalter will miss next Friday's match against Rot-Weiss Essen given the midweek U.S. match, combined with the travel.

PSV Eindhoven midfielder DaMarcus Beasley is suffering from what is termed a "mild" hamstring strain and sat out PSV's opening match against SC Heracles Almelo. The injury also kept him out of the U.S. match against Trinidad & Tobago Wednesday.

Midfielder John O'Brien's match with ADO Den Haag against his former club Ajax of Amsterdam has been postponed until January 7. For security reasons. the match was to have taken place on a neutral field in front of empty stands. But Ajax filed suit against the Dutch Football Association and the city of Amsterdam and, in a deal worked out by the judge and agreed to by all the parties, the match will take place January 7 in the Ajax ArenA with fans allowed to attend with the city promising adequate security.

Onyewu continues as the mainstay of the Standard defense and repeated his solid performance from last week's opening 3-1 home win over KSK Lierse.

Earlier in the week, England's Sky News confirmed what the Belgium press has been reporting -- that Manchester United is interested in acquiring Onyewu.

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