Onyewu's Twente freezes out Rubin

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Feb 17, 2011

[AMERICANS ABROAD] Wearing a ski cap and looking oh-so uncomfortable, Oguchi Onyewu started for Dutch club FC Twente Thursday in its 2-0 win over Russian club Rubin Kazan in a match played in below-zero temperatures before an estimated 300 fans at Moscow's 90,000-seat Luzhniki Stadium.

The game was played on Luzhniki Stadium's artificial turf in the afternoon because of freezing weather in Moscow, but temperatures still reached -4. It was so cold officials threatened to postpone the game. Twente had previously refused a request to switch venues for the two-leg series.

Onyewu started his fifth game for Twente at left back since arriving on loan from AC Milan in January. It was his first European game with his new club.

Maurice Edu played the entire game for Rangers, which had to settle for a 1-1 tie with visiting Sporting Lisbon when Matias Fernandez equalized just two minutes from time

Sacha Kljestan did not play in Anderlecht's 3-0 loss at home to Ajax.

The second leg of the round-of-32 series will be played next Thursday.