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Convey scores to ice Reading's 4-0 rout of Norwich.
Bocanegra scores first, sends Fulham to 1-0 decision over Hotspur.
Cooper is released by Manchester United; Nguyen makes debut.
Friedel is sensational once, Rovers drop a pair of Cup matches.
Feyenoord gives Gibbs his release after return from injury.
Fulham fans soundly select McBride as December's best player.
Friedel's shutout drops Newcastle 1-0, might seal Souness sacking.
Beasley comes off bench to score in PSV 2-0 win over Waalwijk.
Reyna signs extension of one year at Manchester City.
Convey assist keeps Reading rolling 2-0 over Coventry.
Friedel records shutout, but Rovers can only draw 0-0 with Bolton.
Nguyen leaves Indiana to join Beasley at PSV Eindhoven.
Lewis contributes at both ends, Leeds ties Wigan 1-1 in FA Cup.
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Americans Abroad Friedel concedes three, but Rovers sweep Manchester United 4-3.
and Gary Davidson (in Washington, D.C.) SoccerTimes (Wednesday, February 1, 2006) -- United States goalkeeper Brad Friedel isn't used to watching three goals go past him, but he had to be happy that Blackburn Rovers recorded their biggest victory of the year, defeating visiting Manchester United 4-3 tonight behind three goals from newly-arrived David Bentley in an English Premier League match before 25,484 at Ewood Park. Rovers swept the season's two-match series from United. Friedel had a busy night, making six saves. In the ninth minute, Friedel made a nice stop on a Louis Saha header. Two minutes after Bentley's first put Rovers ahead 1-0 in the 35th minute, Friedel made a miraculous stop of a Wayne Rooney blast, but the ball fell to an unmarked Saha. There was nothing the keeper could do to stop Saha from dropping the ball into the unguarded net for a 1-1 tie. With two more strikes by Bentley sandwiched around a Lucas Neill penalty kick, Rovers moved to a 4-1 lead after 56 minutes. However, Ruud van Nistelrooy, who came on in the 54th minute for United made matters interesting. In the 63rd minute, Cristiano Ronaldo beat his mark to the left end-line and, with Friedel holding the near post, crossed to the center of the penalty area where the unmarked van Nistelrooy steered the ball into the net. Five minute later, van Nistelrooy made it 4-3 after a ball popped to him from a scrum in the middle of the box. All alone, van Nistelrooy put his shot under Friedel while Rovers protested that the play was offside. Man. U.'s effort to pull even was hampered when defender Rio Ferdinand was sent off in the 88th minute and even five minutes of stoppage time didn't allow the visitors to find the eqiualizer. U.S. keeper Tim Howard was is his usual spot on the Man. U. bench. United (14-4-6, 48 points) is in second place, but trails Chelsea (20-1-3) by 15 points. Blackburn (11-8-4, 37) is in a three-way tie for sixth place with Arsenal (11-8-4) and Bolton Wanderers (10-5-7), but only one point behind Wigan (12-10-2) for fifth place and a berth in year's UEFA Cup competition. In the Netherlands tonight, American DaMarcus Beasley went the distance on the left side of a three-man front for PSV Eindhoven which survived had a late scare, but advanced to the semifinals of the Dutch Gatorade Cup with a 3-2 decision over host FC Groningen in frigid weather at Euroborg Stadium. With Philip Cocu scoring twice, including on a bicycle kick to make it 3-0 after 27 minutes, PSV seemed to have things well in hand. But Groningen came back with tallies by Erik Nevland in the 55th minute and Mark Jan Fledderus in the 87th. Defender Chris Lancos, whose four-year career at the University of Maryland ended with the NCAA Division I championship in December, signed a contract to play with the FC Kaiserslautern second team in Germany's third-division Regionalliga Süd. Lancos, who was a fourth-round pick by Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer's recent supplemental draft, signed a deal through the end of the 2006-07 season with a struggling club. Kaiserslautern's first team is mired in the Bundesliga's relegation zone, tied for last in the 18-team league with 1.FC Koln at 3-12-3 with 12 points. Kaiserslautern-II is not doing much better in Regionalliga Süd, in 14th place and one point above the drop zone at 6-11-2 with 20 points. Lancos, who played right back for the national champion Terrapins, started 89 of his 93 games for Maryland, scoring seven goals -- two game-winners -- and adding 18 assists.
Robert Wagman is SoccerTimes senior correspondent. E-mail Robert Wagman. Gary Davidson is SoccerTimes managing editor. E-mail Gary Davidson. Do you have a comment on this story or something to say about soccer in general? Send us a letter. |
