Americans Abroad

Keller, Friedel again post shutouts for clubs in Europe.

Brad Fridel posted his third shutout of the season for Rovers against West Brom. -- Blackburn web site photo --

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

(Sunday, October 2, 2005) -- United States goalkeepers Kasey Keller and Brad Friedel both posted clean sheets yesterday as their clubs won.

Keller recorded his second shutout in a row for Borussia Moenchengladbach which slipped past FC Mainz 1-0 in a German Bundesliga match at Borussia Park. Santos Jose Antonio scored midway through the first half and it was enough as Keller and the 'Gladbach defense shut down the visitors.

Keller made two good saves on Mainz striker Mohamed Zidan. His running mate Petr Ruman hit a hard shot from 20 yards in the 87th minute, but Keller was again equal to the task.

Last week, Keller shut out Arminia Bielefeld 2-0. After a slow start, 'Gladbach has won three straight and is tied for fifth place with Hertha Berlin at 4-2-2 with 14 points.

In the English Premier League, Friedel had a much easier time with Blackburn Rovers who defeated West Bromwich Albion 2-0 on two goals in the last 10 minutes from Shefki Kuqi.

Friedel was credited with only a single save on Jonathan Greening's close-range effort from an acute angle early in the match. Later, he had trouble when Neil Clement sailed a ball high into the penalty area, but New Zealander Ryan Nelsen, a veteran of Major League Soccer's D.C. United, cleared it away.

Blackburn is tied with Middlesbrough for 10th place at 3-3-2 with 11 points.

Blackburn was level with Manchester City for 24 hours, but City (4-2-2, 14 points) defeated Everton 2-0 today to move into a three-way tie for fourth place with Manchester United (4-1-2) and Bolton Wanderers (4-2-2).

U.S. midfielder Claudio Reyna did not dress for City because of a neck injury.

American striker Brian McBride registered an assist for Fulham, but Ruud van Nistelrooy and Wayne Rooney were too much for the Cottagers to handle as visiting Man. U. won a hard-fought 3-2 decision. Van Nistelrooy had a pair of goals, including a penalty kick, and Rooney added a tally in a match that saw all the goals scored in the first half.

Fulham had grabbed the early lead when Brian McBride's flick-on header fell to Collins John who put it past goalkeeper and former teammate Edwin van der Sar in the second minute. McBride came out in the 72nd minute.

U.S. defender Carlos Bocanegra went the distance for Fulham and played solidly in the second half to keep his club close.

American defender Jonathan Spector came on in the 85th minute for Charlton Athletic which squandered a two-goal lead and fell 3-2 to Tottenham Hotspur.

Charlton (5-2), tied with Tottenham Hotspur (4-1-3) for second place with 15 points, lost ground to league-leading Chelsea (8-0, 24).

In the second-tier English League Championship, Brynjar Gunnarsson scored twice, including the winner in the 89th minute to give second-place Reading a 2-1 triumph over league-leading Sheffield United 2-1 at home before 22,068 at Madejski Stadium.

Once again, American keeper Marcus Hahnemann was in top form in the Reading net, conceding only Steve Kabba's diving header in the 15th minute.

U.S. midfielder Bobby Convey, started and lasted 67 minutes, but did not make a big impression on the match. His replacement, Sekou Baradji, assisted on Gunnarsson's winner.

United (10-2, 30) remained three points ahead of Reading (8-1-3)

U.S. midfielder Eddie Lewis played 66 minutes on the left flank for Leeds United in a dull 0-0 draw with visiting Watford. Early, Lewis sent in some good crosses, but Leeds could not take advantage. He was replaced in the 66th minute by Danny Pugh as sixth-place Leeds (5-3-3, 18) went to a more central attack.

American Jay Demerit continued to be out with an injured shoulder and did not dress for Watford, which is tied with Wolverhampton for fourth at 5-3-4 with 19 points.

Struggling Sheffield Wednesday got a much needed victory 3-2 over Coventry at home. American defender Frank Simek went the distance for Wednesday which is 2-5-4 with 10 points, only one point above the bottom of the table.

Hannover should have won the match, but Jiri Stajner missed a late penalty kick. Hannover 1-3-4 with seven points is tied for 12th place in the 18-team league.

In the second-division 2Bundesliga, U.S. defender Gregg Berhalter went the distance at left back for Energie Cottbus which fell to Karlsruhe 3-2 on three goals in the last 15 minutes.

Cottbus has had injury problems on its back line and Berhalter, who normally plays in the middle, has been moved to the outside. Despite the loss, Cottbus (5-2-1, 16) remains atop the stands, one point clear of VfL Bochum (4-0-3) and SC Paderborn 07 (5-3).

U.S. midfielder DaMarcus Beasley started on the outside of a three-man forward line and assisted on PSV's opening goal, but then took a knock and had to come out at halftime.

In Wednesday's Champions League match, PSV could do little to fend off Fenerbahçe. Beasley went the distance and came close to scoring with a free kick in the 37th minute, but Eindhoeven's hopes of victory were dashed when Eindhoven's Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink was sent off with a red card before intermission with Fenerbahçe ahead 2-0.

U.S. defender-midfielder John O'Brien, nursing a groin injury, did not dress for ADO Den Haag defeated RKC Waalwijk 2-1.

Standard (7-1-1, 22) remained in first place, one point ahead of arch-rival Anderlecht (6-0-3). Because Onyewu was slated to serve a yellow-card suspension next weekend, U.S. men's coach Bruce Arena summoned him for World Cup qualifiers Saturday in Costa Rica and October 12 against Panama in Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.

Seb Orton contributed to this story from Watford, England.

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