Four days after losing in the English League Cup final against Chelsea, Arsenal was ousted from the FA Cup with a 1-0 fifth-round replay loss to Blackburn, whose goalkeeper, American Brad Friedel, denied Julio Baptista on a couple of second-half chances. Benni McCarthy’s rocket with three minutes left gave Rovers the win.
On Tuesday, Reading (with keeper Marcus Hahnemann resting and Bobby Convey out injured), lost its fifth-round replay, 3-2, to Manchester United.
In the German Cup quarterfinals, Steve Cherundolo connected on his penalty kick but Hannover 96 lost the shootout, 4-2, against Nuremberg after the First Division clubs battled to a scoreless tie. Cherundolo also received a yellow card
Kamini Hill was a 90th minute in sub as VfL Wolfsburg advanced to the semifinals with a 2-0 win over fellow First Division club Alemannia Aachen.
Last weekend, 21-year-old California product Michael Orozco made his third straight start for Mexican First Division club San Luis, in a 1-0 win over Jaguares.