Onyewu, Standard fall from Champions League to Steaua Bucuresti.

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

(Thursday, August 24, 2006) -- Surprising many observers, Belgium's Standard de Liège started United States defender Oguchi Onyewu in the second leg of its European Champions League play-in-round match with Steaua Bucuresti of Romania, but the gamble failed.

Standard was ousted 4-3 on aggregate after losing 2-1 yesterday before 45,000 in Bucharest's Stadionul Ghencea.

Liège took an early lead on Milan Jovanovic's second-minute goal, but Valentin Badea scored twice for the hosts in the 35th and 51st minutes for the winning margin.

Onyewu was taken out in favor of an additional attacker in the 64th minute.

Onyewu injured an ankle during preseason and made his first appearance of 2006-07 Saturday in a 1-1 Jupiler League draw at Racing Genk. When Onyewu did not play in the first game against Steaua August 9, some assumed he was being held out because he is on the transfer block and playing him would "Cup-tie" him to Liège, making him ineligible to compete for another team in the Champions League.

Now, he has played in tournament, the number of teams interested him when the transfer window opens in December might be limited because they wouldn't be able to use him in the Champions League. This might considerably diminish a possible transfer fee.

Friedel, Howard play to draw

The English Premier League played a full midweek schedule. American goalkeepers faced each other yesterday, but neither could claim bragging rights. Both were at their best, but Blackburn, with Brad Friedel in net and visiting Everton, using Tim Howard in goal, drew 1-1 before 22,015 at Ewood Park.

Both made good saves and neither could be faulted on the goals they conceded. Benni McCarthy put Blackburn in front in the 50th minute when a David Bentley shot rebounded off defender Joseph Yobo directly to McCarthy. The newly-arrived South African swept it home for a 1-0 lead.

The lead disappeared in the 84th minute after Blackburn defender Zurab Khizanishvili stubbed a clearance directly to Everton reserve midfielder Tim Cahill. The Australian blasted the equalizer past a stranded Friedel.

After winning its Premier League debut, Reading let mistakes cost it in a 2-1 setback to host Aston Villa 37,329 at Villa Park,

After taking a 1-0 lead on Kevin Doyle's tally in the fourth minute, Reading was done in when Ibrahima Sonko was sent off in the 33rd minute with a red card for a clamorous foul on Luke Moore inside the Royals' penalty area, which also brought on a penalty kick. Juan Pablo Angel converted for a 1-1 tie.

Gareth Barry's glancing header in the 61st minute gave Villa its winning edge.

In the 14th minute, U.S. midfielder Bobby Convey, who was replaced in the 65th minute, beautifully sent a cross to Leroy Lita, who got more dirt than ball in sending his shot wide left. Convey's World Cup teammate Marcus Hahnemann was decent in goal, including a save on Angel's low shot to begin the second half.

U.S. midfielder Claudio Reyna was put in a more attacking midfield role, but Manchester City is 0-1-1 without scoring a goal following a 0-0 draw with visiting Portsmouth before 37,214 at City of Manchester Stadium.

Last season, Reyna played in a four-man midfield, with his role to serve as a link between defense and attack. This season, manager Stuart Pearce has moved to a 4-3-3 formation with Reyna playing on the left side of midfield and in a more attacking mode.

Host Fulham and Bolton Wanderers traded late penalty kicks in a general lifeless 1-1 draw before 18,555 at Craven Cottage.

U.S. striker Brian McBride went the distance for Fulham, twice missing on good chances and twice being the victim of some very rough tackling. American defender Carlos Bocanegra did not see action fro the Cottagers.

Bolton went head on a controversial foul call in the Fulham box in the 72nd minute when Kevin Nolan went down on seeming incidental contact with Luis Boa Morte. El-Hadji Diouf converted.

In stoppage time, Abdoulaye Faye handled the ball in the Bolton area and Jimmy Bullard leveled for Fulham.

Coupe de la Ligue ends for Johnson

American striker Jeremiah White, started for visiting FC Guegnon, which was bounced from the France's Coupe de la Ligue Round of 16 Tuesday by Ligue 2 foe FC Istres 2-1 in overtime.

White, who received a yellow card in the 49th minute, was quite active on the left flank, but failed to convert on several chances. Guegnon, which led 1-0 at halftime, had two players shown red cards in the second half. FC Istres tied the game on a penalty kick and netted the winner early in extra time.

Robert Wagman is SoccerTimes senior correspondent. Gary Davidson is SoccerTimes publisher and managing editor.

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