Category: Story

[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.

With a host of scouts from top European clubs on hand, Anderlecht opened up a four-point lead in Belgium with a 4-2 win over Oguchi Onyewu‘s Standard Liege. Lyon, winner of the last seven French titles, is pulling away in Ligue 1. Sporting won the Lisbon derby with a 3-2 win over Benfica. For all the weekend results and current standings …

[ENGLAND] Is the Premier League race over? Last week Sir Alex Ferguson said the chase was between his Manchester United and Liverpool, dismissing struggling Chelsea. Then Liverpool was held to a 1-1 tie at home with Manchester City on Sunday, leaving Manchester United with a seven-point lead.

[SPAIN] Barcelona lost for the first time since opening day when city rival Espanyol beat 10-man Barca, 2-1, at the Camp Nou Stadium on Saturday on a pair of goals by former Barca midfielder Ivan de la Pena. Barca’s lead over Real Madrid, which was 12 points a week ago, is down to seven.

[GERMANY] The Bundesliga has its third leader in three weeks as Hamburg took over first place with 2-1 win at Bayer Leverkusen thanks to two goals by defender Marcell Jansen on Sunday. Last week’s leader Hamburg and the leader at the winter break, Hoffenheim, are two points back. Bayern Munich dropped four points off the pace when it was stunner by FC Cologne, 2-1.

[ITALY] Inter Milan didn’t give challengers Juventus and AC Milan any chance to make a dent on its big lead when won at Bologna, 2-1, on Sunday. The win left Inter nine points ahead of Juventus, a 2-0 winner at Palermo, and 11 points in front of AC Milan, which edged Cagliari, 1-0, on a second-half Clarence Seedorf goal.

[MLS] Rookie defenders, even good ones, will have bad days, yet one of the first games in the sophomore season of 2008 Rookie of the Year Sean Franklin turned out to be among his worst.

[MLS] The “dream team” may be headed for a divorce. An expansion application to place a team in Miami from legendary Spanish club Barcelona and Bolivian businessman Marcelo Claure has taken a rocky turn, according to press reports on both sides of the Atlantic.

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Two young Americans returned to action when defender Jonathan Spector started for English Premier League West Ham and midfielder Sal Zizzo came off the bench late for Hannover 96 in the German Bundesliga. For a wrap-up on Americans in foreign leagues. …

[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.

[WORLD CUP 2010] The sale of the approximately 3 million tickets available for the 2010 World Cup begins Friday. For information on how fans can purchase tickets …

[MLS] With a month to go before New York opens the 2009 season in Seattle, head coach Juan Carlos Osorio took the time to scout talent in El Salvador.

[MLS] Chicago led until the final minute of its exhibition match against Mexican second division club Queretaro FC Wednesday but was left with a 1-1 tie at the final whistle.

[MAKING A LIST] D.C. United’s signing of Congolese forward Ange N’Silu from Swiss third division club Le Mont-sur-Lausanne is the latest in a group of MLS imports, 16 in all. Seven of them are Americans returning from abroad, most notably Bobby Convey to San Jose and Kasey Keller to Seattle. For the complete list …

Dutch clubs Ajax and Marseille pulled upsets with 1-0 wins on the road at Fiorentina and Marseille, respectively, in the first leg of their UEFA Cup round-of-32 series. For all of Thursday’s results and goal scorers …