U.S. ABROAD: Friedel helps Blackburn advance to League Cup semis; Walker's UC falls in first leg of Chilean final

ENGLAND

* Brad Friedel (Blackburn, PL), at Wigan (D2), 2-0 (League Cup quarterfinals).

Friedel made several big saves to hold off upstart Wigan. Defending champion Blackburn faces Man. Utd. Jan. 6 and Jan. 20 in the semifinals.

Holiday schedule: Dec. 22, vs. Man. Utd.; Dec. 26, at Liverpool; Dec. 28, vs. West Ham; Jan. 1, vs. Middlesbrough.

* Kasey Keller (Tottenham, PL)

Holiday schedule: Dec. 23, at Manchester C.; Dec. 26, vs. Chelsea; Dec. 28, at Newcastle; Jan. 1, at Southampton.

* Joe-Max Moore (Everton, PL)

Holiday schedule: Dec. 22, at Liverpool; Dec. 26, at Birmingham; Moore is no longer eligible to play for Everton; his work permit has expired and he requested that the team not apply for its renewal.

Dec. 28, vs. Bolton; Jan. 1, Manchester C.

* Jovan Kirovski (Birmingham, PL)

Holiday schedule: Dec. 21, vs. Charlton; Dec. 26, vs. Everton; Dec. 28, at Man. Utd.; Jan. 1, at Leeds.

* Claudio Reyna (Sunderland, PL)

Holiday schedule: Dec. 21, at West Brom; Dec. 26, vs. Leeds; Dec. 28, at Southampton; Jan. 1, at Man. Utd.

Reyna is recovering from knee surgery and out until next spring.

* Marcus Hahnemann (Reading, D1)

Holiday schedule: Dec. 21, at Nott. Forest; Dec. 26, at Coventry; Dec. 28, vs. Derby; Kan. 1, vs. Leicester.

* Eddie Lewis (Preston North End, D1)

Holiday schedule: Dec. 21, at Sheffield Utd.; Dec. 26, vs. Rotherham; Dec. 28, at Crystal Palace; Jan. 1, at Stoke.

GERMANY

* Gregg Berhalter (Energie Cottbus, D1)

* Conor Casey (Hannover 96, D1)

* Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96, D1)

* Tony Sanneh (Nuremberg, D1)

* Mike Duhaney (Mainz, D2)

* Cory Gibbs (St. Pauli, D2)

* Grover Gibson (Mainz, D2)

* Jacob Thomas (Braunschweig, D2)

Winter break.

FRANCE

* Oguchi Onyewu (Metz, D2), Dec. 19, vs. Amiens.

* David Regis (Troyes, D1).

Holiday schedule: Dec. 20, vs. Rennes.

* Greg Vanney (Bastia, D1).

Holiday schedule: Dec. 20, vs. Nantes.

NETHERLANDS

* John O'Brien (Ajax, D1)

Holiday schedule: Dec. 22, at Excelsoir.

* Earnie Stewart (NAC, D1)

Holiday schedule: Dec. 22, vs. Feyenoord.

* David Johnson (Willem II, D1)

Holiday schedule: Dec. 21, vs. Groningen.

BELGIUM

* Alex Yi (Antwerp, D1)

Holiday schedule: Dec. 22, vs. Standard Liege.

NORWAY

* Robbie Russell (Sogndal, D1)

Offseason.

SWITZERLAND

* Frankie Hejduk (St. Gallen, D1)

Off until March 1 when St. Gallen will play in promotion/relegation championship.

CHILE

* Jonny Walker (Universidad Catolica, D1), at Colo Colo, 0-2

Started: 90 minutes. UC's bid for the ''double'' (Apertura and Clausura titles) suffered a setback Wednesday night when it fell to Santiago rival Colo Colo before almost 40,000 fans. The turning point cam midway through the first half when Chilean international defender Miguel Ramirez was sent off, reducing UC to 10 men. The second leg will be played on Sunday, Dec. 22, at the Estadio Nacional (home match for UC).

HONDURAS

* David Castellanos (Motagua, D1)

Torneo Apertura is finished.