Brian McBride scored the game-winning goal in his first match with his new club, Fulham of the English Premier League, in a 2-1 victory over Tottenham.

Clint Mathis tallied in his Bundesliga debut with Hannover — a 3-2 win against Hamburg. Eight other Americans started for top-division European clubs over the weekend, including Carlos Bocanegra, who played well in his second EPL appearance for Fulham.

McBride, transferred two weeks ago from the Columbus Crew, poked the ball past Tottenham goalkeeper Kasey Keller in the 67th minute, less than 10 minutes after coming on as a substitute.

Keller told The Sun that he and McBride were unable to meet for dinner the night before the game because of snow.

''I guess I could have poisoned him if we had made dinner,'' Keller joked.

Fulham coach Chris Coleman raved about McBride:

''It was great for him to score on his debut but his all-round play was very good and I am delighted with him,'' he said. ''I don't want to get carried away but I wouldn't have brought him here if I didn't think he could perform at this level. He is very strong in the air, he reads the game well, he has a fantastic attitude, he has proved he can score goals in the Premiership and he will fit into our system.''

ENGLAND

* Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham, PL) vs. Tottenham, 2-1. Started: 90 minutes. The Sun rating (10 high; 1 low): 7. Season league stats: 2 games.

* Brian McBride (Fulham, PL) vs. Tottenham, 2-1. Entered as a substitute: 59th minute. McBride scored the gamewinner in the 67th minute from less than a yard out after pouncing on a rebound off a Kasey Keller save. The Sun rating (10 high; 1 low): 8 Season league stats: 1 game, 1 goal. Fulham is in 7th place.

* Kasey Keller (Tottenham, PL) The Sun rating (10 high; 1 low): 7 Season league stats: 23 games, 6 shutouts, 1.43 GAA (played every game). Tottenham is in 13th place.

* Claudio Reyna (Manchester City, PL) at Arsenal, 1-2. Started: 76 minutes. The Sun rating (10 high; 1 low): 6. Season league stats: 12 games; 1 goal. Manchester City is in 15th place.

* Brad Friedel (Blackburn, PL) vs. Chelsea, 2-3. Started: 90 minutes. Chelsea defender Glen Johnson beat Friedel with a long drive just seconds after Rovers had tied the game in the 88th minute. The Sun rating (10 high; 1 low): 6. Season league stats: 23 games, 3 shutouts, 1.70 GAA (played every game). Blackburn is in 16th place.

* Tim Howard (Manchester United, PL) vs. Southampton, 3-2. Started: 90 minutes The Sun rating (10 high; 1 low): 7. Season league stats: 23 games, 10 shutouts, 0.74 GAA (played every game). Manchester United is in 2nd place.

* Jovan Kirovski (Birmingham, PL) vs. Newcastle, 1-1. DNP. Former Columbus Crew forward Stern John tied the game in the stoppage time, converting Kenny Cunningham's free kick at the back post. Season league stats: 6 games. Birmingham is in 9th place.

* Frank Simek (Arsenal, PL) at Manchester City, 2-1. DNP. Season league stats: 0 games. Arsenal is in 1st place.

* Marcus Hahnemann (Reading, D1) vs. Derby 3-1. Reading is in 8th place. Season league stats: 29 games.

* Eddie Lewis (Preston North End, D1) at Preston, postponed. Preston is in 9th place. Season league stats: 23 games; 3 goals.

FRANCE * Greg Vanney (Bastia, D1) at Montpellier, 1-1. Started: 90 minutes. L'Equipe rating (10 high; 1 low): 5. Season league stats: 13 games; 0 goals. Bastia is in 14th place.

GERMANY

* Clint Mathis (Hannover 96, D1) vs. Hamburg, 3-2. Started: 82 minutes. A goal by Mathis in his Bundesliga debut made the score 2-1 in the 27th minute. Mathis and teammate Julian de Guzman received the highest ratings in the game from Kicker magazine. Kicker rating (1 high; 6 low): 2. Season league stats: 1 game, 1 goal. Hannover is in 10th place.

* Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96, D1) vs. Hamburg, 3-2. Started: 90 minutes. Kicker rating (1 high; 6 low): 3. Season league stats: 16 games, 0 goals. Hannover is in 10th place.

* Gregg Berhalter (Energie Cottbus, D2) at Eintracht Trier, 0-2 DNP. Season league stats: 16 games, 2 goals. Cottbus is in 4th place, one spot below the promotion zone.

* Conor Casey (Karlsruhe, D2) at Nuremberg, 0-2. Started: 90 minutes. Kicker rating (1 high; 6 low): 4.5 Season league stats: 16 games, 6 goals.

* Joe Enochs (Osnabrueck, D2) at LR Ahlen, 1-2. Kicker rating (1 high; 6 low): 4.5 Season league stats: 18 games, 0 goals. Osnabrueck is in 18th place, last in the league.

* Tony Sanneh (Nuremberg, D2) vs. Karlsruhe, 2-0. DNP – back injury. Nuremberg is in first place. Season league stats: 0 games

NETHERLANDS

* John O'Brien (Ajax, D1) vs. Den Haag, 4-0. Started: 90 minutes. Voetbal International rating (10 high; 0 low): 6.5. Ajax is in 1st place. Season league stats: 3 games.

BELGIUM * Oguchi Onyewu (La Louviere, D1) vs. Bruges, Feb. 11. La Louviere is in 11th place. Season league stats: 12 games; 0 goals.

* Alex Yi (Antwerp, D1) vs. Heusden-Zolder, 1-1. DNP. Yi has not played in four straight games. Antwerp is in last (18th) place. Season league stats: 9 games; 0 goals.

MEXICO * Daniel Hernandez (Necaxa, D1) at Atlante, 1-3 DNP. Clausura stats: 0 games, 0 goals.