Americans Abroad

Reyna, McBride are robbed and their EPL teams lose.

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

(Tuesday, September 20, 2005) -- Claudio Reyna and Brian McBride could have been heroes. Instead, it was opposing goalkeepers who reaped the glory with sensational saves as both Americans watched their English Premier League teams go down to defeat Saturday.

Despite outshooting Bolton Wanderers 17-5, Reyna and Manchester City fell 1-0 when Garry Speed converted a penalty kick in stoppage time. On the last play of the match, a long ball was sent into the City penalty area and defender Richard Dunne inadvertently played it away with his arm.

Reyna was quite active in the midfield, setting up a number of chances, taking corner kicks and free kicks and, on occasion, dropping back in defense. In the 53rd minute, he was denied on an amazing stop by keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen. Reyna beat two defenders to slide into a low cross in the goalmouth, but somehow a prone Jaaskelainen managed to get a foot on the ball to steer it away.

Dropping its first match of the season, City (3-1-2, 11 points) fell from second place to a three-way tie with Manchester United (3-0-2) and Bolton (3-1-2), seven points behind league-leading Chelsea (6-0).

Despite good matches from McBride and defender Carlos Bocanegra, Fulham lost to West Ham United 2-1. McBride gave another impressive performance as he was twice denied by superb saves by keeper Roy Carroll.

In the 11th minute, McBride drove a header from eight yards off Luis Boa Morte cross only to have Carroll, the former Manchester United keeper, dive quickly to his right to bat it away. Later in the first half, McBride's long-range rocket was pushed aside by the fingertips of Carroll.

Bocanegra played tough all day, earning a yellow card in the 45th minute for unsportsmanlike behavior after Marlon Harewood put West Ham up 1-0. In the 52nd minute, Harewood beat Bocanegra's close marking and put a shot off the left post that caromed off keeper Tony Warner, who had made a desperate dive, for an own goal and 2-0 advantage.

Boa Morte struck 14 minutes later top make it 2-1, but Fulham is now one of six clubs, including Blackburn Rovers at 1-3-2 with five points, tied for 13th place

It was a tough Sunday for U.S. keeper Brad Friedel and Blackburn with Newcastle United's first two shots on goal not coming until the second half, but finding net in a 3-0 victory.

The two shots came from a couple of the EPL's biggest English stars. Alan Shearer scored from the top of the box in the 61st minute and newly-arrived Michael Owen made it 2-0 three minutes later with a tap-in from a few feet out. Charles N'Zogbia added a third goal in the 85th minute.

Friedel had cause to celebrate earlier in the week when the 34-year-old signed a three-year contract extension that will keep him with Blackburn through 2008.

"I still have four to five good years at the top level, so I was very comfortable and confident to sign," Friedel said. "I think I can give the club three very good years."

American defender Jonathan Spector finally got on the field for second-place Charlton Athletic (4-1, 12), entering in the 80th minute in a 2-0 setback to Chelsea.

Spector, on loan from Manchester United, was unable to break into the lineup as Charlton won its first four outings. On Saturday, he came on for Chris Powell with his team trailing by two goals and had several touches in a generally error-free performance.

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