Americans Abroad

Friedel is sensational once, Rovers drop a pair of Cup matches.

Oguchi Onyewu leaves the field in a Super Cup match against AA Gent after receiving a red card for a bad tackle. -- Standard de Liege web site photo --

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

(Saturday, January 28, 2006) -- United States goalkeeper Brad Friedel's week started with a sensational effort in a losing cause. Today, Friedel and Blackburn Rovers were just bad, falling 4-2 to host West Ham United in a FA Cup fourth-round match before 23,700 at Upton Park.

David Bentley put Rovers ahead 1-0 in the first minute, a lead that held until Teddy Sheringham equalized for West Ham with a penalty kick in the 33rd minute.

Four minutes later, Matthew Etherington put one under Friedel to give the Hammers a 2-1 lead. Rovers defender Zurab Khizanishvili worsened the situation, extending the West Ham advantage to 3-1 when he put a ball in his own net.

Lucas Neill pulled Blackburn to within 3-2 with a tally in the 65th minute. Eight minutes later, Friedel made a great save on Marlon Harewood's powerful drive, but the rebound fell to Bobby Zamora who knocked in the rebound it reestablish West Ham's two-goal lead.

Perhaps a letdown against West Ham was predictable after Friedel turned in a breathtaking performace Wednesday, only to see Manchester United eliminate the visiting Rovers 2-1 in the second leg of a Carling Cup semifinal series before 61,637 at Old Trafford. Man. U. advanced 3-2 on aggregate after a 1-1 draw two weeks earlier at Blackburn.

Three times, Friedel stopped English Premier League leading scorer Ruud van Nistelrooy, once on a penalty kick, to keep Rovers in the match, but it was not enough.

Van Nistelrooy took advantage of a series of Blackburn defensive blunders to put United ahead 1-0 in the eighth minute. Defender Michael Gray muffed a clearance and gave the ball to Man. U.'s Darren Fletcher. He passed Wayne Rooney who ran 30 yards and tried to flick a pass into Van Nistelrooy's path. Gray got a foot on it, but only succeeded in setting it up for van Nistelrooy, who promptly drove home his 19th goal in all competitions this season.

Friedel stopped van Nistelrooy point blank before Steven Reid pulled Rovers level at 1-1 in the 32nd minute.

In the 43rd minute, Friedel laid out full-length to deny van Nistelrooy on a penalty kick. Shortly after intermission, Friedel again denied a dangerous van Nistelrooy shot, but the Americam could do little in the 51st minute when another defensive miscue allowed Louis Saha to find net from point-blank range to make it 2-1.

United manager Alex Ferguson paid tribute to Friedel. "We had chances, but their goalkeeper was absolutely magnificent," he said. "On the last four occasions we have played them, he must have made 40 saves against us. Tonight he made three incredible saves."

U.S. defender Jonathan Spector was on the bench today for the EPL's Charlton Athletic which used a number of reserves and advanced in the FA Cup when Jay Bothroyd scored with a free kick in stoppage time to eliminate the third division's Leyton Orient 2-1.

Reading looks sure to be promoted from the English League Championship to the Premier League next season and drew 1-1 with the EPL's Birmingham City 1-1 today in the FA Cup despite playing a number of reserves.

U.S. goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann and midfielder Bobby Convey did not dress for the game at Reading's Madejski Stadium. Both will probably be in the lineup for the replay at Birmingham.

Watford (15-6-10, 55 points) moved into third place, a point ahead of Leeds United (16-7-6) which has two matches in hand.

Roy Makaay of the Netherlands scored twice and German international Michael Ballack added one goal before 54,019 at Borussia Park, the largest crowd of the season for G'ladbach (6-5-7, 25), which is tied for sixth place with VfB Stuttgart (5-3-10).

U.S. defender Steve Cherundolo played 90 minutes for Hannover 96, which played the second half a man short, but drew 1-1 with host Hertha Berlin. Dick Van Burik's goal in stoppage time earned a point for Hertha.

Hannover went ahead 1-0 on Christoph Dabrowski's goal in the 11th minute, but had to battle shorthanded after Altin Lala was sent off following yellow cards in the 44th and 45th minutes. Early in the game, Cherundolo clashed heads with Hertha's Gilberto and fell heavily to the ground. He seemed to be momentarily unconscious -- or at least stunner -- but continued in the match and played very well.

Hertha (7-5-6, 27) stands fifth while Hannover (4-4-10, 22) is in ninth place, even on points with Bayer Leverkusen (5-6-7).

In Belgium's Jupiler League, U.S. defender Oguchi Onyewu went the distance for Standard de Liege which drew 0-0 with St. Trond despite playing a man short following the ejection of Serhiy Kovalenko with his second yellow card.

In the 84th minute, Onyewu clashed with Nicky Hayen in the Standard box, but a penalty kick was not awarded.

In a tight race where eight points separate first and eighth place, Standard is atop the standings at 12-5-3 with 39 points, though Club Brugge (11-3-5) trails by only one point and owns a game in hand. Two points behind Standard is third-place Anderlecht (10-3-7).

Onyewu didn't last long in Standard's 2-1 loss too arch-rival AA Gent in the first leg of their Super Cup series. The American was sent off with a red card in the 20th minute for a professional foul to prevent a possible breakaway.

Onyewu already has been suspended for three matches for his two red cards early in the league season.

"I've had in a half season in Belgium as many yellow and red cards as during my entire career previously," Onyewu told the Standard web site. "That's life. That's Belgium. That's referreeing in Belgium. What happened this time? A long ball got past us. (Mohammed Aliyu) Datti grabbed my arm. I then held him slightly. He fell and the ref blew the whistle."

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

Do you have a comment on this story or something to say about soccer in general? Send us a letter.