Rare action for Freddy and Eddie; Cooper scores

• by Soccer America , Sep 24, 2009

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Freddy Adu made his debut for Portuguese club Belenenses in the League Cup and Eddie Johnson got rare action for Fulham in the English League Cup. Kenny Cooper helped second-tier 1860 Munich oust the Bundesliga's Hertha Berlin in the German Cup.

Kenny Cooper, who also received a yellow card, gave 1860 Munich a 2-0 lead in with a 19-yard strike. Hertha recovered to tie the game 2-2, sending the game into overtime. Cooper left in the 91st minute. After a scoreless overtime, 1860 won on penalty kicks. Cooper now has three goals in all competitions since moving to Germany last summer.

Freddy Adu entered the game in the 64th minute with Rio Ave leading 1-0. He sparked some forays from the wide midfield but Belenenses failed to overcome the deficit.

Adu is on loan from Benfica, which last season loaned him out to French Ligue 1 club Monaco, where he got little playing time. He has yet to see action in league play for Belenenses, which is in 11th place after five games.

In England, Fulham used an entirely different starting 11 from last weekend's league game and fell, 2-1, at Manchester City in overtime. Eddie Johnson, who has seen only 14 minutes of league action this season, played 91 minutes for the Cottagers against Man City.

Keeper Brad Guzan, another American who rarely sees action, helped Aston Villa to a 1-0 win over Cardiff as starter Brad Friedel rested.

Keeper Marcus Hahnemann, the Wolverhampton backup who has yet to see league action this season, got to play the full 90 in a 1-0 loss to Manchester United. He was beaten in the 66th minute by Danny Welbeck while Wolves played with a man advantage.

Everton, on the other hand, stuck with its first-choice keeper in the second round of the League Cup and Tim Howard celebrated a 4-0 win at Hull, which did not dress Jozy Altidore.