Tim Howard was the only American who started in the 2-0 victory over Mexico on Wednesday and played in weekend English Premier League action. Howard shut out Blackburn, 1-0, to win the battle of the Yank keepers over Brad Friedel.

Marcus Hahnemann also picked up a shutout as Reading beat Aston Villa, 2-0, for its first win over the Birmingham club in a series that dates back 95 years. The surprising Royals remained in sixth place, two points head of Portsmouth, and in the hunt for a UEFA Cup berth next season.

Bobby Convey, who started against Mexico, didn't play for Reading, and Bob Bradley's other two EPL starters in Arizona, Carlos Bocanegra (suspended) and Clint Dempsey, didn't play in Fulham's 2-1 loss to fifth-place Bolton Wanderers.

Oguchi Onyewu made his debut at St. James' Park, helping Newcastle beat Liverpool, 2-1, in the Reds' first match since being taken over by American owners.

Kasey Keller was outstanding in Borussia Moenchengladbach's 0-0 tie with Alemannia Aachen, but the home draw left Gladbach in a three-way tie with Aachen and Bochum, only two points ahead of last-place Hamburg, which won, 3-0, over Borussia Dortmund without Benny Feilhaber.