Houston teenager Stuart Holden, who recently signed a short-term contract with English club Sunderland, suffered a fractured eye socket in an unprovoked attack outside the Tiger Tiger bar in Newcastle's Newgate Street. The injury required surgery and will probably keep the 19-year-old midfielder out of action for the remainder of the English season. Holden, who was born in Scotland, left Clemson University after his sophomore season to try his luck in England this winter. He had a trial at Everton before joining Sunderland on what the club described as an amateur contract through the end of the 2004-05 season. He debuted for the Sunderland reserves shortly before being injured. Holden played for the U.S. U-20 national team in 2004.
Peter Philipakos, the New Yorker who recently debuted for Greek powerhouse Olympiakos, was called up for Greece's upcoming under-21 internationals but has declined the invitation, according to his brother. Philipakos became the eighth American to play in Europe's two cup competitions this season when he came on in Olympiakos' 4-0 loss to Newcastle last week in the UEFA Cup.