U.S. players abroad

Howard lifts Man Utd; Hernandez debuts in Mexico

Subscribe to Soccer America Magazine, the biweekly bible of soccer fans! Get hot news, scores and fan-chat at SoccerAmerica.com

From Soccer America magazine.

ENGLAND

Community Shield

* Tim Howard (Manchester United, PL) vs. Arsenal, 1-1 (4-3 PKs).

Started: 90 minutes. Howard added another a memorable first to his European career -- his first match against a Premier League opponent ended with him the hero.

Howard stopped two penalty kicks, including the decisive attempt by Arsenal star Robert Pires, to help United win a preseason trophy and early bragging rights against its top rival in recent years.

The Community Shield match, played before each season, pits the previous season's Premier League champion against its FA Cup winner.

Arsenal forward Thierry Henry beat Howard on a free kick to tie the game five minutes after Mikael Silvestre had put the Red Devils ahead.

United played with a man advantage for the last 18 minutes after Francis Jeffers received a red card, but the game remained deadlocked after 90 minutes and went directly to a penalty kick tiebreaker.

Among United Manager Alex Ferguson's postgame comments:

“Tim's temperament is fine. It is never a problem. He enjoyed facing those penalty kicks. Up until then he didn't have a lot to do. He had one decision to make in the second half and he did the right thing. He had no real saves apart from those penalties.”

“He has settled in well. Young people just want to get on with life. He has plenty of enthusiasm and shows no fear. Tim's spring is great and so is his agility. I am very pleased with him.”

ENGLISH FIRST DIVISION, Opening Day

* Marcus Hahnemann (Reading, D1) at Ipswich, 1-1.

Started: 90 minutes. A road victory was within Reading's grasp until a 90th-minute penalty kick by Tommy Miller tied matters after Reading defender Graeme Murty brought down Jim Magilton in the box.

* Eddie Lewis (Preston North End, D1) vs. West Ham, 1-2.

Started: 90 minutes. Lewis scored just 70 seconds into the match, but his team surrendered goals in the fifth and 69th minutes to lose at home.

* Claudio Reyna (Sunderland, D1) at Nottingham Forest, 0-2.

DNP. Reyna is still getting back his fitness after offseason knee surgery.

GERMANY

* Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96, D1) vs. Bayern Munich, 3-3.

Started: 90 minutes. Kicker Magazine rating (1-high; 6-low): 4.

Hannover blew a 3-1 halftime lead as Claudio Pizzaro narrowed the gap in the 49th minute and Owen Hargreaves put in the game-tying goal in second-half stoppage time.

* Gregg Berhalter (Energie Cottbus, D2) at Union Berlin, 1-0.

Started: 90 minutes. Kicker Magazine rating (1-high; 6-low): 4.

* Conor Casey (Karlsruhe, D2) at Osnabrueck, 2-1.

Started: 76 minutes. Kicker Magazine rating (1-high; 6-low): 3.

Casey started his second straight game with his new club while his strike partner, Russian Ivan Saenko, scored both goals and received the game's best rating (2).

* Joe Enochs (Osnabrueck, D2) vs. Karlsruhe, 1-2.

Started: 90 minutes. Kicker Magazine rating (1-high; 6-low): 4.5.

* Chuck Kim (Aachen, D2) vs. Mainz, Monday.

* Tony Sanneh (Nuremberg, D2) vs Burghausen, 2-0.

DNP - back injury.

FRANCE

* Oguchi Onyewu (Metz, D1) at Bastia, 2-0.

DNP.

* Greg Vanney (Bastia, D1) vs. Metz, 0-2.

Started: 90 minutes. L'Equipe rating (10-high; 1-low): 4.

MEXICO

* Daniel Hernandez (Necaxa, D1) vs. Santos Laguna, 1-1.

Started: 90 minutes. Made his Mexican League debut in the second week of the Apertura season. Received a yellow card in the 19th minute. Jared Borgetti scored in the 15th minute and Jorge Orozco answered for Necaxa in the 43rd.

NETHERLANDS

* John O'Brien (Ajax, D1) at Vitesse Arnhem, Aug, 16.

BELGIUM

* Alex Yi (Antwerp, D1) at Anderlecht, 1-3.

DNP.

NORWAY

* Robbie Russell (Sogndal, D1) at Tromso, 1-1.

Started: 90 minutes.

* Adam Skumawitz (Aalesund, D1) at Brann, 0-3.

DNP.

DENMARK

* Wade Barrett (Aarhus, SL) at Brondby, 0-2.

Started: 80 minutes. Aarhus went down a man in the 22nd minute when Niklas Carlsson was ejected; Brondby scored in the 65th and 81st minute.

* Matt Jordan (OB, SL) at Nordsjaelland, 0-2.

DNP.

SWEDEN

* Luchi Gonzalez (Bodens SK, D2) at IF Brommapojkarna, 1-1.

Started: 66 minutes.

* Leighton O'Brien (Bodens SK, D2) at IF Brommapojkarna, 1-1.

DNP.

SWITZERLAND

* Melchior Arnold (Chiasso, D2) vs. Lucerne, 0-2.

Started: 90 minutes.

BOSNIA

* Raul Palomares (Zepce, D1) at Borac, 0-2.

Lineups unavailable.

 

Related information

Stories

Soccer America: U.S. players abroad Howard stakes claim for starting role at United

Multimedia

Visit Video Plus for the latest audio and video