Author Archives: Mike Woitalla

[MLS] Swedish attacker Freddie Ljungberg, whom the Seattle Sounders signed as a Designated Player at $1.31 million before they even hired Coach Sigi Schmid, is set to play on Saturday against Real Salt Lake in what would be his first competitive match since the 2008 European Championship.

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Just when it looked like Borussia Moenchengladbach, with some inspired play from Michael Bradley, was climbing out of the Bundesliga relegation zone, it lost, 1-0, to lowly VfL Bochum. In England, Brad Friedel had a nightmarish outing against Liverpool, which scored against two American keepers in one game.

[MLS NAMES & NUMBERS] MLS’s 14th season kicked off with a good amount of goals and big crowds. The goals included a 60-yard effort from Dallas’ Kenny Cooper and a pair of strikes from last season’s leading scorer, Landon Donovan

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Michael Bradley‘s two goals last weekend not only helped relegation-threatend Borussia Moenchengladbach to a clutch victory, it had the German press hailing the 21-year-old midfielder as the Bundesliga’s new star. Bild, Germany’s largest circulation daily, headlined its article on Bradley’s rise with an allusion to Landon Donovan‘s loan stint at Bayern Munich: “Hey Klinsi! Borussia has the Super Ami.”

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Days before his loan spell comes to an end, Landon Donovan watched from the bench as Bayern Munich was ousted from the German Cup it was defending with a 4-2 loss at Bayer Leverkusen. The defeat, on the heels of a dismal league run, had German press speculating on Coach Juergen Klinsmann‘s job security.

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Michael Bradley scored his third Bundesliga goal of the season in a losing effort that keeps Borussia M’Gladbach in last place. Landon Donovan‘s fifth appearance a sub failed to spark Bayern Munich and he got harsh reviews from the German press. Maurice Edu made his first Scottish Premier League appearance since September. For a wrapup of Americans abroad. …

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Bayern Munich will aim to pull itself out of its Bundesliga slump when it clashes with Werder Bremen on Sunday (GolTV, 11 am ET), one of three games before Landon Donovan is scheduled to return to the Los Angeles Galaxy.

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Landon Donovan had a big chance to prove himself dear to Bayern Munich, coming on as a halftime sub with Bayern struggling against newly promoted, 11th-place FC Cologne. Reviews of Donovan’s performance in a game that launched “Bayern Crisis” headlines in Germany didn’t favor the 26-year-old American’s chances to land a long-term deal with Bayern, but it still has four more games before the loan ends.

[AMERICANS ABROAD] With both its regular forwards injured, Landon Donovan could get his first start for Bayern Munich when it faces Cologne on Saturday (GolTV 11:30 am ET). Earlier this week, Bayern chairman Karlheinz Rummenigge downplayed the American’s chances of staying past the loan deal, but the injuries and a crowded schedule should give Donovan a chance to make his case.

[AMERICANS IN GERMANY] Returning from midweek national team duty during which he bagged both goals in the USA’s 2-0 win over Mexico, Michael Bradley scored with his chest for Borussia Moenchengladbach in a 1-1 tie with Werder Bremen. Landon Donovan made his longest Bundesliga appearance since joining Bayern Munich but came up empty in a 2-1 loss to Hertha Berlin.

[REF WATCH] When soccer’s rule-making body meets later this month, it will consider penalty-box time for yellow-card offenses, a fourth sub during overtime, and extended halftimes (because it can take so long to walk to the locker room!).

[AMERICANS ABROAD] With the scored tied 1-1 against Borussa Dortmund last weekend, Bayern Munich coach Juergen Klinsmann subbed in Landon Donovan for striker Luca Toni. Toni fumed, refused to shake hands with fellow forward Miroslav Klose as he walked off the field, and stormed straight to the locker room.

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Seven of the 13 foreign-based players on the U.S. roster for Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier against Mexico saw action for their clubs last weekend. Among those who hit the field were Landon Donovan at Bayern Munich and midfielder Jose Francisco Torres, who helped Pachuca to a 3-1 win at Club America in Azteca Stadium.

[USA-MEXICO COUNTDOWN] While Mexico is plagued by injury problems and suspensions, many of the Americans playing abroad are struggling with their foreign clubs going into next Wednesday’s Hexagonal opener against Mexico. For an update on the U.S. foreign legion. …

[USA-MEXICO COUNTDOWN] Mexico striker Carlos Ochoa, who played high school and college ball in Southern California, says criticism of his team’s recent poor form has united the squad, which he believes is better than the U.S. team and will overcome Ohio’s frigid conditions in the Hexagonal opener on Feb. 11.

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Landon Donovan, after playing in five friendly games for Bayern Munich, saw his first action in official competition in Bayern’s 5-1 German Cup round of 16 win over VfB Stuttgart.

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Landon Donovan upped his scoring total to four goals in five friendly games for Bayern Munich as he struck twice after entering as a 60th minute sub in Bayern’s 5-0 win over second division Mainz. The 26-year-old, on loan from the Los Angeles Galaxy, is now Bayern’s leading scorer in midseason-break friendly games.

[HEXAGONAL] Less than three weeks before facing the USA in the first game of final-round World Cup qualifying, Mexico is plagued by suspensions, injuries problems and the fact that several key players aren’t seeing consistent action with their European club teams. Whether that’s good news for the USA is open to debate.

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Landon Donovan scored on a header in Bayern Munich’s 2-0 friendly win over Second Division leader Kaiserslautern in front of 42,604 fans at Fritz Walter Stadium on Monday. It was his second goal in four exhibition appearances for Bayern, to which Donovan is on loan until March 15.