In his first start for Hull City in Carling Cup action, our young American scored from long distance and played a full 90 minutes in a 3-1 win against Southend United.
That's rave reviews from coach Phil Brown after his second-straight game.

Brown said: "The biggest bonus of the night wasn't just the fact some young lads have made their debuts and done well, it was getting 90 minutes out of Jozy Altidore.

This gameweek is a double for a few teams including Fulham, which makes Brede Hangeland a fine pick for the next couple of weeks given Fulham's forthcoming fixtures (Bolton, Sunderland and Burnley after this week's double GW). Hangeland does well every season as a bargain priced defender, and is a key choice for those looking to hone in on Fulham's potential clean sheets.

On the lighter side of Beckham-related stories, this man thinks he can beat Beckham at soccer...
Check out the video below for Beckham's response after the FC Barcelona game.
"I don't see him calling Kobe out. You know, I think that Kobe could score against him.

Graham Alexander is Burnley's captain, is £4.5m, and best of all is likely to line up in front of his stated position. Alexander is listed in the game as a defender but he's really Burnley's defensive midfielder. While he likely won't be earning clean sheet points every week, every little bit helps.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The title of this post is somewhat misleading. After all, the thought of taking a Frank Lampard "masterclass" sends your imagination off on a journey of R-rated festivities. With room service.

But alas, it's just a Disney XD viral showing Frank Lampard at Wembley doing an interview and tutorial with a boy named Alfie.

Along with the rest of the world, I am focusing on the UEFA Champions League at the moment, since the finals are in a few hours, but I would be remiss if I passed on the opportunity to follow-up with the WCR Copa Libertadores prediction series. The Copa Libertadores quarterfinals begin tonight with a pair of matches, so let's get to the predicting.

These must be the wedding pictures every little girl dreams of. "This is me in my white dress and this is my husband scared out of his mind." As a bonus, Robinho spots something slightly noteworthy somewhere over there after the jump. [The Spoiler]

Liverpool v Newcastle Live Streaming & Match Preview
Watch Liverpool vs Newcastle Live Online - Click Here
Sunday 3rd May 2009
Kick Off : 13:30 GMT
Venue : Anfield

Anything Newcastle can get from this game will be a bonus, but Alan Shearer will know a win will take them out of the relegation zone.

Photo via LatinContent Editorial/ Adhil Rangel

Ah, how typical of Hernanes to break out into a dance halfway during Sao Paulo's training session! It could just be one of Ricardo Gomes' 'tactics' to loosen things up in the team. You can always count on Hernanes to make everyone feel like they're in the middle of a circus.

Oooooo Vela, ¿qué es eso en la boca?!! We've missed Mr Guapo, so as a bonus, here he is again with Mexican teammate Johnny Magallon! [via LatinContent Editorial]

FOOTBALL may be known as the beautiful game but when it comes to some players that is clearly not the case. For every pin-up like David Beckham there is a few more fellas who just don't cut it in the glamorous footie world. The most talented stars have the ability to drive fear into their opponents.

It appears someone has got it in for Fulham defender John Pantsil after quotes attributed to the Ghanian revealed he had received an unauthorised bonus after shackling Cristiano Ronaldo. The 27-year-old full-back did a successful man-marking job on the United winger in Fulham's recent 2-0 Premier League success over the champions and he reportedly received a [.

I've yet to see Cristiano Ronaldo's reaction to being substituted but I've received enough texts to know it wasn't pretty.

I can appreciate the frustration of being subbed off in a big game and I think it's a good sign that Ronaldo wants to play every minute for us. That is a healthy attitude.

Well, the deal for Gaxa, the South African right back we were previously close to signing, has fallen through. We were close to signing him at one point but his club in South Africa continued to raise their asking price until it reached one million euros. There was no way AEK was going to spend so much so instead we have signed the second right back that we were looking at, Carlos Araujo.

This is slightly later than planned so sorry about that. I had this dream last night, I was playing for Derby County against Arsenal and it finished 4-4, even though I was playing for Derby (yes I know, my brain doesn't know what side its bread's buttered on), I wanted Arsenal to win of course.

Strange one.

Another day, another head shot. This really is the final straw for American girls soccer, though. I mean, the hair pulling and dirty tackles are one thing, but to take aim and obliterate an opponent's face like this on a free kick is just way over the line. And totally hilarious.

After the jump, a special bonus DTotD.

Galaxy 1 Kansas City Wizards 1

Seen this. Heard this. Done this. So I'll keep this short.

A fifth straight draw for the Galaxy tonight. A club record. And eight ties in nine games. And undefeated in nine games.

But said Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman - agreeing with Coach Curt Onalfo - after the 10-men Galaxy scored an 87th minute equalizer to tie it up: "it felt like a loss.

A few bonus quotes from Wednesday's USA-Costa Rica preview, which focuses on the fact that it's been 24 years since the USA took a qualifying point out of Costa Rica, and that wasn't in Saprissa.
Eddie Pope (several games; now working with MLS Players Union):
On Costa Rica's team: It seems like that region has taken a bit of a hit.

"It is always advisable to be a loser if you cannot become a winner" -Frank Zappa
Not even a month has passed since I wrote about the return of FC Dallas' biggest Designated Player failure. On June 3rd, Denilson signed a contract with Hai Phong Cement FC in Vietnam. As of June 24th, he has quit the team due to injuries.

Image via Reuters

Let's compare and contrast Cristiano Ronaldo's weight-lifting technique to Raul's, shall we?

C-Ron appears as if he is lifting a lightweight man-bag filled with helium, cotton wool and some Elton John concert tickets. He's 24.

Raul, on the other hand, is 32.

Here's the latest European Tranfers News, including Samuel Eto'o accepting a move to Inter and Ibrahimovic moving to Barcelona.

Eto'o to Inter, Ibrahimovic to Barcelona - Samuel Eto'o's agent has announced that the Barcelona striker has agreed personal terms with Inter Milan.

The German club had to beat Manchester United via penalty shootout to earn the win. It was actually a pretty exciting tiebreaker after a scoreless regulation.
The shot of Nani is one you have to see.
Take a look at the highlights:
Boca Juniors settled for third place.

In case you wondered why making the Champions League group stages is so important, consider the huge revenue windfall for teams that make the competition.

The Champions League will generate a record $1.55 billion in marketing and television revenues for clubs and organizer UEFA this season, that is a 33% increase from last year.

Abigail Clancy was out late last night for the UK premiere of the Michael Jackson This Is It movie. She was rocking a gorgeous sequin mini-dress which she coupled with a hefty pair of clod-hoppers.

No. Sorry. They just look like clod-hoppers. Of course, they're just ankle boots.

Arsene Wenger reckons Manuel Almunia will be missing for both of our Champions League games, meaning Fabianski is set to fill in. Reports had suggested that he was ready to make a come-back but Wenger has denied there is any truth to that.

For those of you who watched the other semi-final at the weekend, you'll see just what a bonus this could be!

Check out Julio Cesar and the rest of the Inter squad celebrating his 'seventh year anniversary to actress Suzana Werner' last night - at a nightclub in city Figo and his ferosh wife - Helen Svedin - were in attendance. We've included a bonus photo of the couple.

Master Chocolatier Albert Dorna completed a life-size chocolate sculpture of Barca Captain Carles Puyol for Mona day, the first Monday following Easter, back in March. Now, he's added his latest creation to the display: A sculpture of the Copa Del Rey trohpy.
.The chocolate cup has been placed at the feet of the Puyol sculpture, and the artist is now waiting for Barca to secure the League and Champions League so he can add those trohies as well.

Today there have reports all over the media that Adebayor is finally going this summer AC or Inter Milan for a reported £24 million fee. Id take £15 let alone 20- so lets take that! Wenger has finally realised that he isn't as good as people think he is ands with only £13 million (apparently) to spend in the summer market then this huge amount of money would be a great bonus.

... but I don't think David Beckham is going back to AC Milan in January. I really don't.First, Carlo Ancelotti leaves and now this:"I spoke to some friends, like Beckham, who has already played for Real. He said it's a fantastic place to play. I spoke to him this past week and he kept helping me, he said I made a positive choice for my career's growth," revealed new Real Madrid bonus baby

Congratulations dudes on the worst season imaginable.
You reached unforeseen levels of ineptitude and got relegated.
Why don't we split up this bonus of 10 million pounds? And the most disappointing of you -- Michael Owen, Mark Viduka -- you'll be getting the most.

As a further indication of the financial chaos on Tyneside, Sportsmail has learned some Newcastle players will be heading into the Coca-Cola Championship on an increased salary in what appears to be a glaring oversight by club executives.

Read what the U.S. team had to say following the stunning 3-0 victory against Egypt.
And as a bonus, here's a bit from the La Gazzetta Dello Sport, otherwise known as 'the pink bible' in Italy because of the color of it's paper and the wide circulation:
"The USA scored once, then twice more to put us back in the running.

When Harrisburg City faces off with DC United of Major League Soccer tomorrow, there is a lot more at stake for the Islanders than just a place in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals. Harrisburg City and Wilmington are the two lowest division teams still alive in the tournament and on the line is a $10,000 bonus for the USL-2 side that advances the farthest.

As we mentioned into today's Studio 90 News Update, the U.S. will be playing its 18th game at RFK Stadium since 1990. Amazingly, this is the first Gold Cup match the historic stadium will have hosted.
The question for you today is this: Which venue has hosted the most games for the MNT in the last 19-plus years.

On the day pre-season begins the Adebayor saga rumbles on.

The Mirror says the deal was 'completed' last night but there are complications as Adebayor is holding out for a 'loyalty bonus' because he never asked for a transfer. I don't really need to talk about how incredibly dense that is, do I?

Wizards defender, Jimmy Conrad, will not be playing this Wednesday against Everton FC in Salt Lake in the MLS All Star game, but Conrad will be there. Conrad has been named an "inactive" All Star for the game. Basically, under the league's collective bargaining agreement, MLS still has to name 32 players as All Stars for bonus purposes.

Mr. Wilco, America's Favorite Furry Footy Prognosticator, gives you his Week 20 picks and a bonus pick for the MLS All-Star Game. Power to the felines!
MLS 2009
Overall Record: 64-72
Last Week: 4-3
Week 20
Everton FC v. MLS All-Stars
Toronto v.

UNITED > England, the Republik of Mancunia, the idea that Manchester and our club is more important than anything else. United, Kids, Wife - in that order, the banner seen on our travels.

Club over country players are fairly rare, although we do have a few at United, and should be massively appreciated.

With the Championship season starting this weekend, Derby County's players have decided to give up their bonuses this season if they fail to finish in the top six of the Championship.
A number of the senior players got together and, with the backing of the dressing room, felt the gesture was the "right thing to do" due to the tough financial climate facing football and the fact that the team has under-achieved in the past two seasons, having been relegated from the Premier League in 2007-8 with a record-low number of points and finishing 18th in the Championship last term.

So the dust has settled from the U.S.'s tough 2-1 loss in Mexico on Wednesday. The question now is what does the loss do the U.S.'s World Cup qualifying chances?

After 6 matches, here are the current CONCACAF standings

Standings P W D L F A Pts
1 Costa Rica 6 4 0 2 9 9 12
2 Honduras 6 3 1 2 10 6 10
3 United States 6 3 1 2 11 8 10
4 Mexico 6 3 0 3 8 9 9
5 El Salvador 6 1 2 3 6 8 5
6 Trinidad & Tobago 6 1 2 3 7 11 5

The top three teams in the group qualify automatically for the 2010 World Cup while the fourth-place team faces the fifth-place team from CONMEBOL (South America) in playoff.

Football Weekly is the Guardian's superb Football podcast. It is released every Monday, in an edition that reviews the weekend's fixtures, plus a bonus edition every Thursday (Football Weekly Extra) which previews them.

The anchor is James Richardson, of Football Italia and recently deceased Setanta fame, and he is joined by various combinations of Guardian football correspondents, most often Barry Glendenning, Sean Ingle, Sid Lowe, and other peripatetic guests.