John O'Brien got an assist in his first match for Ajax in several months since injuring his Achilles' tendon. In England, Brad Friedel earned his 10th shutout while Kasey Keller had a rough outing against West Ham.

ENGLAND

* Brad Friedel (Blackburn, PL) vs. Manchester City, 1-0.

Started: 90 minutes. Friedel repeatedly thwarted Robbie Fowler and Nicolas Anelka in earning his 10th shutout of the season and second in three games. The Sun rating (10=high; 1=low): 7.

* Kasey Keller (Tottenham, PL) at West Ham, 0-2.

Started: 90 minutes. Keller made several good saves in this game, but both West Ham goals included mistakes by him. Former Tottenham striker Les Ferdinand got the cellar-dwelling Hammers on the board when his low shot squeezed under Keller. Just after halftime, Spurs defender Ledley King misplayed a Michael Carrick cross high into the air and when Keller belatedly went to grab it, he lost control and Carrick converted the loose ball. The Sun rating (10=high; 1=low): 5.

* Brian McBride (Everton, PL) at Middlesbrough, 1-1.

Entered as a substitute, 65th minute. The Sun rating (10=high; 1=low): 5.

* Jovan Kirovski (Birmingham, PL) at Aston Villa, postponed until Monday.

* Claudio Reyna (Sunderland, PL) at Fulham, 0-1. DNP — injured. Reyna is out for the season with a torn knee ligament. Sunderland is in dire need of points to avoid relegation. The Black Cats must make up seven points in the last nine games to stay in the Premier League.

* Marcus Hahnemann (Reading, D1) at Wimbeldon, 0-2. Started: 90 minutes.

* Eddie Lewis (Preston North End, D1) at Sheffield Wednesday, 1-0. Started: 65 minutes.

GERMANY

* Gregg Berhalter (Energie Cottbus, D1) vs. Bayern Munich, 0-2.

Started: 90 minutes. Cottbus' win streak halted at the hands of the Bundesliga leaders. Michael Ballack scored both goals. Second-to-last Cottbus is two points inside the relegation zone. Kicker Magazine rating (1-high; 6-low): 3.5.

* Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96, D1)at VFL Bochum, 2-1.

Started: 90 minutes. Kicker Magazine rating (1-high; 6-low): 3.5. The road win puts Hannover three points above the relegation zone.

* Conor Casey (Hannover 96, D1) at VFL Bochum, 2-1.

DNP.

* Tony Sanneh (Nuremberg, D1) vs. Wolfsburg, 1-1.

DNP. Nuremberg is two points above the relegation zone.

* Mike Duhaney (Mainz, D2) vs. St. Pauli, 1-1.

DNP.

* Cory Gibbs (St. Pauli, D2) at Mainz, 1-1.

DNP injured.

* Grover Gibson (Mainz, D2) vs. St. Pauli, 1-1.

DNP.

* Jacob Thomas (Braunschweig, D2) vs. Greuther Furth, 1-1.

Entered as a substitute, 78th minute.

FRANCE

* Joe Cannon (Lens, D1) at AC Ajaccio, 0-0.

DNP.

* David Regis (Troyes, D1) at PSG, 2-4.

Started: 90 minutes. L'Equipe rating (10=high; 1=low): 4.5.

* Greg Vanney (Bastia, D1) at Le Havre, 0-2.

DNP.

* Oguchi Onyewu (Metz, D2) vs. Clermont, 2-1.

DNP.

NETHERLANDS

* John O'Brien (Ajax, D1) vs. Vitesse Arnhem, 2-0.

Started: 90 minutes. O'Brien finally returned from an AchillesÆ tendon injury to play his first Dutch League match in months. Young South African Steven Pienaar scored both goals, with O'Brien assisting on the second one, an insurance tally in the 90th minute. Ajax is in second place, seven points behind PSV.

BELGIUM

* Alex Yi (Antwerp, D1) at Brugge, 0-1.

DNP.