By FRANCO PANIZO
Portsmouth has not had the best of seasons, but Algerian defender Nadir Belhadj helped the
struggling club continue its improbable run towards the FA Cup final.
Belhadj started and played 90 minutes in a quarterfinal tilt against Birminghamon Saturday, and
his peformance was part of the reason Portsmouth posted a cleansheet in a 2-0 victory.
By FRANCO PANIZO
Portsmouth has not had the best of seasons, but Algerian defender Nadir Belhadj helped the
struggling club continue its improbable run towards the FA Cup final.
Belhadj started and played 90 minutes in a quarterfinal tilt against Birminghamon Saturday, and
his peformance was part of the reason Portsmouth posted a cleansheet in a 2-0 victory.
By FRANCO PANIZO
If U.S. national team fans were unconcerned about the firepower that Slovenia and Algeria
possess, they likely changed their tunes after the goals scored this weekend.
There was a combined four goals netted and Algerian midfielder Abdelkader Ghezzal accounted for
two of them in Siena's shocking comeback draw against Juventus.
By FRANCO PANIZO
Zlatko Dedic has plied his trade In Italy's second division for much of his career, but the
Slovenian forward has enjoyed a fairly smooth transition into the Bundesliga, with his goal against
Werder Bremen serving as the latest piece of evidence.
By FRANCO PANIZO
Slovenia may be a small country of only two million people, but the Slovenians Abroad
represented in a big way this weekend with three different goal scorers.
Nejc Pecknik's contributions were the most notable as the midfielder added an assist to his goal
in a 2-1 comeback victory for Nacional de Madeira over Vitoria Setubal.
By FRANCO PANIZO
Slovenia may be a small country of only two million people, but the Slovenians Abroad
represented in a big way this weekend with three different goal scorers.
Nejc Pecknik's contributions were the most notable as the midfielder added an assist to his goal
in a 2-1 comeback victory for Nacional de Madeira over Vitoria Setubal.
By FRANCO PANIZO
West Bromwich Albion got one step closer to assuring automatic promotion back into the
Premiership next season with a win against Leicester City this weekend, and the club can partially
thank Robert Koren for that.
Koren scored the final two goals in a 3-0 West Brom win that saw the club extend its point lead
to 12 over third-place Nottingham Forest (the lead is now 11 after games were played on
Monday).
By FRANCO PANIZO
Algerian midfielder Abdelkader Ghezzal is beginning to find his scoring touch just in time for
the World Cup, and Bari was the latest victim to fall prey to his finishing.
Almost a month after hitting a brace in a shocking comeback draw against Juventus, Ghezzal
scored two beautiful equalizers in Siena's 3-2 victory over Bari.
By FRANCO PANIZO
Slovenian forward Valter Birsa may not score goals in bunches, but the U.S. national team will
have to be wary of his lethal left foot on free kicks this summer.
Birsa scored a stunning free kick in AJ Auxerre's 4-1 triumph against Lorient, curling in the
third goal with a shot from 25 yards that stung off the near post before finding the back of the
net.
BY ADAM SERRANO
The San Jose Earthquakes are red hot and come to Home Depot Center tonight to take on a slumping
Chivas USA team in need of a victory.
Chivas USA is fresh off a very disappointing 3-0 loss on the road at Houston last week, while
the visiting San Jose Earthquakes are on a two game winning streak, including last week's 2-0
victory at home against the New England Revolution.
By FRANCO PANIZO
Samir Handanovic may not have ended April with a shutout performance, but the Slovenian
goalkeeper capped off one of the stronger months of the season for Udinese by helping the club to
a 4-1 win against Siena.
Handanovic started his 35th game of the season and made three saves in the relatively easy
victory, which improved Udinese to 3-0-1 in April.
By FRANCO PANIZO
Slovenian defender Matej Mavric did this weekend what no U.S. national team fan wants to hear
come summer time. He scored on an American goalkeeper.
Mavric scored a penalty kick in TUS Koblenz's 2-2 draw against Kaiserslautern, beating Luis
Robles with a chip shot down the middle that was somewhat reminiscent to that of Zinedine Zidane's
in the 2006 World Cup final.
By FRANCO PANIZO
U.S. national team forward Eddie Johnson is currently the top goal-scorer in the Greek play-offs
with three goals, but hot on his trail is Algerian forward Rafik Djebbour.
Djebbour scored the opener in AEK Athens' play-off against Johnson's Aris Salonika, marking the
second consecutive match in which he found the back of the net.
BY ADAM SERRANO
The California Clásico resumes tonight as the San Jose Earthquakes travel down Highway
101(with a transfer to the I-405) to take on the Los Angeles Galaxy (ESPN2, 7:30 PST)
The Earthquakes come to the Home Depot Center in fourth place in the Western Conference having
earned a victory in their last MLS match against Philadelphia Union.
