Tottenham's defense gave up more goals to Middlesbrough than it had in any one game this season despite some sharp saves by Kasey Keller. Brad Friedel and Blackburn played to a costly 1-1 tie with relegated West Brom.
ENGLAND
* Brad Friedel (Blackburn, PL) vs. West Brom, 1-1.
Started: 90 minutes. Rovers blew a golden opportunity to move past Everton into sixth place in the Premier League standings and thus step closer to a UEFA Cup berth, but Damien Duff, who scored Blackburn's goal in the 10th minute, missed an open net from 12 yards late in the game. Friedel prevented a loss and even worse embarrassment when he stopped a breakaway by Jason Roberts shortly after West Brom's equalizer in the 53rd minute. Friedel received Blackburn's player of the year award in a pregame ceremony.
* Kasey Keller (Tottenham, PL) at Middlesbrough, 1-5.
Started: 90 minutes. Tottenham had not surrendered more than three goals in any game this season until this match, in which Middlesbrough scored three during a five-minute span of the first half. Malcom Christie scored on a rebound in the 22rd minute and Hotspur defender Chris Perry was issued a straight red card about a minute later for taking down Slovakian Szilard Nemeth. Keller stopped the ensuing penalty kick on Juninho, but the Brazilian converted the rebound and Nemeth struck just two minutes later for a commanding lead.
* Jovan Kirovski (Birmingham, PL) at Newcastle, 0-1.
DNP.
* Claudio Reyna (Sunderland, PL) at Aston Villa, 0-1.
DNP – injured.
* Marcus Hahnemann (Reading, D1) at Stoke, 0-1.
Started: 90 minutes.
* Eddie Lewis (Preston North End, D1) at Norwich, 0-2.
Started: 64 minutes.
GERMANY
* Gregg Berhalter (Energie Cottbus, D1) vs. Hamburg, 0-0. DNP. Cottbus remains in last place in the 18-team Bundesliga.
* Conor Casey (Hannover 96, D1) vs. Stuttgart, 1-2. DNP.
* Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96, D1) vs. Stuttgart, 1-2. Started: 90 minutes. Kicker rating (1=best; 6=worst): 4.
* Tony Sanneh (Nuremberg, D1) vs. 1860 Munich, 1-2. DNP – back injury.
* Mike Duhaney (Mainz, D2) vs. Eintracht Frankfurt, 3-2. DNP. * Grover Gibson (Mainz, D2) vs. Eintracht Frankfurt, 3-2. DNP.
* Cory Gibbs (St. Pauli, D2) vs. Burghausen, 2-2. Started: 90 minutes.
* Jacob Thomas (Braunschweig, D2) at LR Ahlen, 2-1. Started: 54 minutes. Kicker rating (1=best; 6=worst): 4.
FRANCE
* Joe Cannon (Lens, D1) vs. Guingamp, 0-1. DNP.
* David Regis (Troyes, D1) vs. Sochaux, 0-2. DNP.
* Greg Vanney (Bastia, D1) at Marseille, 1-2. DNP.
* Oguchi Onyewu (Metz, D2) at Caen, 0-1. DNP.
NETHERLANDS
* John O'Brien (Ajax, D1) vs. RKC Waalwijk, 6-1. DNP.
BELGIUM
* Alex Yi (Antwerp, D1) vs. Beveren, 3-1. DNP.
CHILE
* Jonny Walker (Colo Colo, D1) at Temuco, 5-1. DNP. Walker missed this game and the previous one (a 1-1 tie with Puerta Montt) with a minor shoulder injury. He should start Saturday against Huachipato.
DENMARK
* Wade Barrett (Aarhus, D1) vs. OB, 4-1. Entered as sub in 46th minute.
NORWAY
* Robbie Russell (Sogndal, D1) at Vallerenga, 3-3. Started: 90 minutes. Sogndal scored three second half goals only to have them erased one by one over the last 17 minutes of play.