U.S. Abroad (March 19-22): Howard Sits, Friedel wins, Casey scores, Mathis assists

• by Soccer America , Mar 22, 2004

Tim Howard's honeymoon at Manchester United officially ended this weekend as coach Alex Ferguson has decided to go with Roy Carroll for the time being. Carroll played well in a 3-0 United bashing of Kasey Keller and Tottenham.

Brad Friedel, meanwhile, blanked Aston Villa in an important 2-0 road victory for Blackburn that puts Rovers four points clear of the relegation zone.

In Germany, Gregg Berhalter's club, Energie Cottbus, moved into first place in the Second Division with a 2-1 victory over Karlsruhe, whose goal came from Conor Casey. Clint Mathis set up a goal in Hannover's 2-2 tie with Schalke.

ENGLAND

* Brian McBride (Fulham, PL) at Chelsea, 1-2.
Entered as a substitute: 77th minute The Sun rating (1 low; 10 high): 6.
Season league stats: 7 games, 1 goal.
Fulham is in 9th place.

* Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham, PL) at Chelsea, 1-2.
Started: 90 minutes.
The Sun rating (1 low; 10 high): 5.
Season league stats: 6 games. Fulham is in 9th place.

* Claudio Reyna (Manchester City, PL) at Leeds, 1-2.
DNP -- injured.
Season league stats: 17 games; 1 goal.
Manchester City is in 16th place.
Leeds scored on a flukish free kick by Stephen McPhail -- it appeared to be a cross -- and a controversial penalty kick. Nicolas Anelka scored for Man City in between. Man City had much more possession, but failed to win its first back-to-back games of the season. The Blues had come into the game following a 4-1 win over Manchester City.

Leeds moved out of last place with the win.

* Tim Howard (Manchester United, PL), vs. Tottenham, 3-0.
DNP.
Manchester United coach Alex Ferguson started Northern Ireland international Roy Carroll in goal, stating publicly that he wanted to give Howard a mental break.
Season league stats: 27 games.
Manchester United is in 3rd place, 12 points behind leader Arsenal.

* Kasey Keller (Tottenham, PL), at Manchester United, 0-3. Started: 90 minutes.

The Sun rating (1 low; 10 high): 5.
Season league stats: 29 games.
Tottenham is in 11th place.

* Brad Friedel (Blackburn, PL), at Aston Villa, 2-0.
Started: 90 minutes.
The Sun rating (1 low; 10 high): 7.
Season league stats: 29 games; 1 goal.
Blackburn is in 15th place.

* Frankie Simek (Arsenal, PL) vs. Bolton, 2-1.
DNP.
Season league stats: 0 games, 0 goals.

* Marcus Hahnemann (Reading, D1) vs. Sunderland, 0-2.
DNP - injured. Hahnemann is out 2-4 weeks with a knee sprain.
Season league stats: 36 games.

* Eddie Lewis (Preston North End, D1) vs. Walsall, 1-2.
DNP - injured. Lewis could be out up to six weeks after undergoing hernia surgery.
Season league stats: 30 games; 6 goals.

GERMANY

* Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96, D1) at Schalke, 2-2.
Started: 90 minutes.
Kicker rating (1 high; 6 low): 3.5
Season league stats: 22 games, 0 goals.

* Clint Mathis (Hannover 96, D1), at Schalke, 2-2.
Started: 90 minutes.
Threaded a pass to set up game's first goal. Kicker rating (1 high; 6 low): 3
Season league stats: 8 games, 4 goals.

* Gregg Berhalter (Energie Cottbus, D2), vs. Karlsruhe, 2-1
Started: 90 minutes.
The win vaulted Cottbus into first place, at least temporarily, as Nuremberg, which plays Lubeck on Monday, trails by one point.
Kicker rating (1 high; 6 low): 4.5
Season league stats: 22 games, 3 goals.

* Conor Casey (Karlsruhe, D2), at Energie Cottbus, 1-2.
Started: 90 minutes.
Casey scored in the 59th minute, but the home side rallied with goals in the 80th and 87th to win. Season league stats: 22 games, 10 goals. Cottbus is in 1st place.

* Tony Sanneh (Nuremberg, D2) vs. Lubeck, 1-2.
DNP.
Season league stats: 0 games, 0 goals.
Nuremberg is in 2nd place.

* Joe Enochs (Osnabrueck, D2), at Duisburg, 1-3.
Started: 90 minutes.
Kicker rating (1 high; 6 low): 4
Season league stats: 22 games, 1 goal. Osnabrueck is in 18th (last) place.

NETHERLANDS

* John O'Brien (Ajax, D1), vs. Vitesse Arnhem, 5-0.
DNP.
Season league stats: 4 games; 0 goals.

* Charles Kazlauskas (Fortuna Sittard, D2), vs. MVV, 1-2.
Started: 90 minutes.
Voetbol International rating (10 high; 1 low): 6.
Season league stats: 4 games; 0 goals.
Fortuna Sittard is in 18th place (second to last).

BELGIUM

* Alex Yi (Antwerp, D1), at Lierse, 0-1.
DNP.
Season league stats: 8 games; 0 goals.

* Oguchi Onyewu (La Louviere, D1), at Racing Genk, 1-1.
DNP - suspended.
Season league stats: 18 games; 1 goals.

FRANCE

* Greg Vanney (Bastia, D1), vs. LeMans, 0-0.
Started: 90 minutes.
L'Equipe rating (1 low; 10 high): 5.
Season league stats: 17 games; 0 goals.

CROATIA

* Chris Greer (Cibalia, D1), at Marsonia, 3-1.
Came on as substitute in 83rd minute. Scored five minutes later to wrap up win. Cibalia finishes first phase in 10th place in 12-team league, which is now split into two groups, six teams in championship group and six in relegation group.
League games: 5. League goals: 3.

DENMARK

* Wade Barrett (Aarhus, SL) at Esjeberg.
Entered as a substitute, 80th minute.
Season stats: 13 games, 0 goals.

* Matt Jordan (OB, SL) Broendby, 1-0.
DNP.
* Season stats: 1 game.

PORTUGAL

* Zach Thornton (Benfica, D1), at Beira Mar, 1-0.
DNP.
Season league stats: 0 games.

SPAIN

* Antonio Martinez (Salamanca, D2), at Malaga B, 2-2. DNP.
Season league stats: 3 games.

SWITZERLAND

* Melchior Arnold (Chiasso, D2), vs. Kriens, 0-1.
Started: 90 minutes.
Season league stats: 16 games; 3 goals.

MEXICO

* Daniel Hernandez (Necaxa, D1), vs. Irapuato, 0-1.
Started: 90 minutes.
Torneo Clausura stats: 5 games, 0 goals.

PERU

* Luchi Gonzalez (Sporting Cristal, D1), vs. Alianza Lima, 0-5.
Started: 63 minutes.
Former Colorado Rapid Waldir Saenz scored twice for Alianza Lima. Torneo Apertura stats: 1 games, 0 goals.