Category: Story

American keepers Tim Howard and Marcus Hahnemann will be happy to bid farewell to 2007 after combining to give up 10 goals in English Premier League action on Saturday. Countryman Brad Friedel ended an outstanding year with Blackburn in style on Sunday.

[AMERICANS ABROAD] La Paz FC, the surprise of the 2007 Bolivian season, has signed 23-year-old American Kyle Zenoni for its first Libertadores Cup campaign that will begin with a first-round two-game series against the runner-up of Mexico’s Interliga that begins Wednesday in the United States.

[OBITUARY] Scottish soccer was in mourning following the death of Motherwell captain Phil O’Donnell, who died after collapsing during Saturday’s Scottish Premier League game with Dundee United.

[TRANSFER TALK] Two days after Dimitar Berbatov scored four goals for Tottenham in its 6-4 win over Reading in the English Premier League, his agent said the Bulgarian would be prepared to leave Spurs in January’s transfer window if a suitable club made an offer.

CASL Elite won a pair of Showcase championships in the boys division at the Disney’s Soccer Showcase in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The North Carolina club beat English club Chelsea’s academy team in the U-16 final. (Chelsea is the tournament’s presenting sponsor.)  The surprise of the Showcase divisions was Vermont’s Synergy FC’s semifinal placement in the U-15 division. For the boys U-15 to U-18 Showcase results …

Most years, the Inter Milan-AC Milan derby has Scudetto implications, but Sunday’s derby was for bragging rights only. With its 2-1 victory, Inter opened up a 25-lad on AC Milan heading into the holiday break.

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Clint Dempsey scored his first goal in seven weeks to give Fulham a 1-1 tie with Wigan Saturday in the English Premier League club’s first game since Manager Lawrie Sanchez was fired.

A valiant effort by Tim Howard, playing his first game against Manchester United since being transferred to Everton, was spoiled Sunday by a needless foul by South African Steven Pienaar that led to a penalty kick and a 2-1 Manchester United victory.

The English Premier League returns to action on Wednesday with its traditional Boxing Day program and continues with games over the weekend and on New Year’s Day. Here’s the schedule for the big three …

The draw for the first knockout phase of the 2007-08 UEFA Champions League produced several tantalizing matches: defending champion AC Milan against English leader Arsenal and last year’s runner-up Liverpool against Inter Milan, which is on course toward a third straight Italian league title. For the entire draw and schedule …

Real Madrid stunned Barcelona with a 1-0 win at the Nou Camp Stadium on Sunday to open up a seven-point lead in La Liga. Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster played down the big lead, while Barca coach Frank Rijkaard defended the play of embattled star Ronaldinho.