Playing time has been hard to come by this season for Jonathan Spector, but after his Carling
Cup heroics, he might just see the field for West Ham for a second straight game.
Spector made a strong case for more minutes with his brace in the 4-0 win over Manchester United
in the quarterfinals of the Carling Cup on Wednesday, and that performance could bear fruit when
the Hammers visit Sunderland.
Four Americans and their clubs are eyeing a place in next season's Champions League, and winning
their matches this weekend could prove vital in their hunt to reach that competition.
Hannover 96 is just three points shy of third place in the Bundesliga standings, and the
Champions League qualifying spot that comes with it.
Freddy Adu could soon land at a new club, but not for its first team.
According to Danish outlet Sporten, Adu will play for Randers in a reserve tournament game
tonight and could end up with a contract with the club should he impress. He is expected to play in
the last three games of the tournament for Randers, who he has been training with in order to stay
in shape.
Michael Bradley and Borussia Moenchengladbach escaped the Bundesliga's dungeon with their 4-0
rout of FC Cologne last weekend, and now they'll turn their sights towards escaping the relegation
zone altogether.
Moenchengladbach hosts Mainz, and despite sitting pretty in third place, the O-Fives are
reeling, having lost their last three games all by way of shutout.
If you think the Los Angeles Galaxy's season ending means Landon Donovan is ready for an
offseason loan out to Europe, think again. He hasn't made up his mind yet.
Donovan told Sky Sports News on Thursday he wanted to enjoy his vacation before making a
decision on whether he'll go out on loan from the Galaxy for a third consecutive year.
FIFA suspended two of the 24 executive committee members from voting on the 2018 and 2022 World
Cup hosts on Tuesday after finishing their corruption investigation.
Nigeria's Amos Adamu was suspended from all soccer activity for three years after admitting to
taking bribes from undercover reporters who acted as lobbyisted trying to buy votes.
Pachuca's season may not have gone as well as expected, but for Jose Torres, Herculez Gomez and
Marco Vidal, that doesn't matter anymore as the club reached the Apertura playoffs.
Facing a must-win situation, Pachuca reached the Apertura Liguilla with a 2-1 road victory over
Necaxa in the clubs' season finale.
Stuart Holden scored his first goal abroad while Michael Bradley netted his second of the season
in their clubs respective wins on Saturday.
Holden scored the winner in Bolton Wanderers' 3-2 triumph over Wolves, hitting a one-timed shot
into the open net after American goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann was forced out of position.
Stuart Holden scored his first goal abroad while Michael Bradley netted his second of the season
in their clubs respective wins on Saturday.
Holden scored the winner in Bolton Wanderers' 3-2 triumph over Wolves, hitting a one-timed shot
into the open net after American goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann was forced out of position.
Tim Howard and Everton have not lost in their last seven games, and if they are to extend that
streak, they'll have to do so against a team they haven't defeated in league play since 2007.
Everton hosts Arsenal in a game the Gunners need in order to keep within striking distance of
first place.
It may have been a brief, but Eric Lichaj's performance on Wednesday is surely one he'll never
forget.
Lichaj made his Premiership debut in Aston Villa's match against Blackpool, coming off the bench
in the 90th minute to help the Villans preserve a 3-2 victory.
Bolton Wanderers' run at a potential place in Europe received a boost this weekend, and Stuart
Holden once again played a role in making that happen.
Facing a midfield that included the likes of Wilson Palacios and Gareth Bale, Holden helped
Bolton to a big 4-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur with a 90-minute performance.
Clarence Goodson's time with IK Start will come to a close this weekend after the club's season
finale as he has signed a deal to join Brondby IF.
Goodson agreed to a three-year deal with Brondby on Tuesday, and will join the Danish club on a
free transfer in January when it prepares for the spring season.
Five goals from four different Americans were scored this weekend as Clint Dempsey, Maurice Edu,
Sacha Kljestan and Mike Grella found the back of the net for their respective clubs.
Maurice Edu netted his first goal of the season on Saturday, scoring in Rangers' 1-1 draw with
Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
Edu finished a nice passing sequence in the first half by blasting a left-footed volley to the
far post.The goal was not enough to keep Rangers' unblemished SPL record intact as the club
surrendered an equalizer in the 81st minute.
Fulham snapped its five-game winless streak on Saturday, and Clint Dempsey was the player to
lift the club to victory.
Fulham defeated Wigan Athletic, 2-0, through two first-half goals from Dempsey. The U.S.
international, who played all 90 minutes in the win, headed home a Carlos Salcido cross in the 30th
minute before knocking another in with a one-time finish just before halftime.
Villarreal is one point shy of first place in La Liga, and Jozy Altidore may be able to help the
club surpass Real Madrid for the top spot this weekend.
Having scored his first goal of the season on Wednesday, Altidore could see time when Villarreal
travels to take on Sporting Gijon.
Jozy Altidore received a rare 90-minute outing with Villarreal on Wednesday, but perhaps more
importantly, he found the back of the net.
Altidore netted Villarreal's lone goal (his first across all competitions this season) in a 1-1
draw with Club Polideportivo Ejido in the first leg of the fourth round fixture in Copa del
Rey.
It took two months, but Sacha Kljestan once again found playing time for RSC Anderlecht.
Kljestan earned his first start in a league match since Aug. 21, starting and going the distance
in Anderlecht's 2-0 victory against KVC Westerlo on Sunday.
Maurice Edu may have had an up-and-down Champions League game against Valencia, but he'll need
to quickly put that past him as Rangers take on Celtic in a battle of unbeatens this weekend.
Both teams enter the Old Firm derby with eight wins in as many matches, and the winner will take
an early lead in the race for supremacy in the SPL.
Maurice Edu may have had an up-and-down Champions League game against Valencia, but he'll need
to quickly put that past him as Rangers take on Celtic in a battle of unbeatens this weekend.
Both teams enter the Old Firm derby with eight wins in as many matches, and the winner will take
an early lead in the race for supremacy in the SPL.
When the Chicago Fire's season comes to a close following this weekend's match against Chivas
USA, so too will the career of one of the club's most recognizable faces.
Several American players are playing in key European club match-ups this weekend, but none are
taking part in as important a clash as Tim Howard is in the Merseyside Derby.
Everton and Liverpool are enduring poor starts to the season and neither can afford a loss when
the teams meet on Sunday at Goodison Park.
Three days after settling for a 2-2 result versus Poland, the U.S. men's national team was held
to scoreless draw against Colombia at PPL Park in Philadelphia on Tuesday night.
Head coach Bob Bradley deployed a 4-3-3 formation to start the match, but it proved ineffective
against a Colombian team that enjoyed much of the possession.
England suffered a setback in its quest to qualify for the 2012 Euro Cup, getting held scoreless
for the first time at the rebuilt Wembley Stadium by Montenegro on Tuesday.
England couldn't get one passed goalkeeper Mladen Bozovic despite having a 12-5 advantage in
shots taken.
Davies has been fined $1,040 and his license has been suspended for his involvement in a
speeding incident with Sochaux teammate Jacques Faty. Davies was with Faty on Oct. 3 when the two
were pulled over for speeding at 125mph.
Fulham extended its unbeaten run in the Premier League on Saturday, and it was Clint Dempsey
that came through with the Cottagers' lone goal in a 1-1 draw against West Ham United.
Dempsey scored his second goal of the season in the first half of the match, beating goalkeeper
Robert Green with a volley 112 days after scoring on him in embarrassing fashion at the World
Cup.
Maurice Edu is coming off a strong midweek performance in the Champions League, and he'll be
looking to build on that as Rangers aims to stay atop the Scottish Premier League.
Having played 90 minutes in Rangers' 1-0 win against Bursaspor on Wednesday, Edu will hope to
help Rangers win its seventh consecutive league match when the club faces Heart of Midlothian.
