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Americans On The Continent: Bocanegra Scores Big
'Los opens his account for Rennes with a UEFA Cup winner, while Michael Bradley debuts for Gladbach.
Sep 22, 2008 3:45:36 PM
By Aaron West
It was a good week for Carlos Bocanegra and Rennes. The former Fulham defender netted his first goal for the French club in their midweek UEFA Cup match against Dutch side FC Twente.
The game was tight throughout, with chances for both sides early on. Twente took the lead when Romano Denneboom latched onto an early cross in the 12th minute, steering a fine header from the penalty spot into the upper corner of the goal.
Stephane M’Bia then leveled the match in the 36th minute with a header off a Rennes corner. In the 50th minute, Bocanegra fired his side ahead with yet another headed goal from a Rennes set piece. He and his teammates battled well to maintain their lead for the next 40 minutes, securing a 2-1 win in the first half of the two-legged fixture.
On Sunday, Bocanegra and Rennes returned to Ligue 1 play, eking out a 0-0 draw away to Nancy. The match was far from a boring affair, with Rennes holding a 12-7 advantage in shots. However, neither side was able to capitalize on their chances as only 4 of the 19 total shots found the target. Bocanegra again went the distance for Rennes, which now sit in 12th place in the league table.
Carlos Bocanegra, Rennes (France)
vs. FC Twente Enschede, 2-1, 90 minutes, 1 goal; vs. AS Nancy Lorraine, 0-0, 90 minutes
See above. Next up: vs. Nice, Saturday, September 27
Danny Szetela, Brescia Calcio (Italy)
vs. Treviso, 0-0, 90 minutes; vs. Ascoli, 2-1, 90 minutes
Szetela continued his run in the first team for Brescia, putting in two solid performances and further cementing his place in the Italian club’s midfield. He went the full 90 as Brescia drew with Treviso at home midweek. On Saturday, he again played the full match, and Brescia were able to pull out a victory courtesy of two late goals from Savio Nserenko and Davide Possanzini. Next up: Away to Ancona, Tuesday, September 23
Neven Subotic, Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
vs. Udinese, 0-2, 90 minutes; vs. TSG Hoffenheim
After a good start, Subotic and Dortmund have endured a torrid time of late, without a win since August 30th. In their midweek UEFA Cup match at home to Udinese, they were beaten soundly by the vibrant Italian side. While Subotic played the full match, he was unable to prevent two early goals from Antonio Floro Flores and Gokhan Inler in the 2-0 loss. In their Sunday match away to Hoffenheim, Dortmund were run off the pitch by an inspired display from newly promoted side. Again, Subotic lasted 90 minutes, but was unable to prevent his side from conceding 4 goals in 67 minutes before Felipe Santana pulled one back in the 90th minute. Next up: Away to VFB Stuttgart, Sunday, September 27
Michael Bradley, Borussia Mönchengladbach (Germany)
vs. Hertha Berlin, 0-1, 65 minutes
Bradley was handed a surprise debut start for Mönchengladbach when Dutch international Patrick Pauuwe pulled up with an injury during the pre-game. Bradley put in a solid performance, forcing Berlin keeper Jaroslav Drobny into action early with a 6th-minute drive towards the lower corner. He was sacrificed in the 65th minute for the more attacking Alexander Baumjohann (scorer of the August 31st wonder-goal against Werder Bremen), but ‘Gladbach were unable to recover from Gojko Kacar’s 11th-minute strike. Next up: vs. Hamburg SV, Saturday, September 28
Sal Zizzo, Hannover 96 (Germany)
Away to Bayer Leverkusen, 0-4, 40 minutes
Former UCLA standout Zizzo was finally handed his season debut for Hannover, coming on for Jan Schlaudraff in the 50th minute against Bayer Leverkusen. American teammate Steve Cherundolo was sidelined due to an abdominal injury, but Hannover’s hopes were high following their 5-1 demolition of Borussia Mönchengladbach the previous week. However, Leverkusen’s German striker Patrick Helmes had destruction on his mind, scoring a hat trick and leaving Hannover helpless. Next up: vs. Bayern Munich, Saturday, September 28
Oguchi Onyewu, Standard Liege (Belgium)
Away to Everton, 2-2, 90 minutes; vs. A.F.C. Tubize, 1-0, 90 minutes
In Standard’s midweek UEFA Cup action, Onyewu helped lead his side to an admirable 2-2 draw in their first leg tie away to Everton. In a free-flowing, seesaw match, the two sides traded goals in the first half, ending with Segundo Castillo’s 25-yard drive to round out the scoring in the 38th minute. Remarkably, the 2nd half produced no addition to the score sheet, although Liege did have a shout for a penalty in stoppage time as Joleon Lescott appeared to bring down Stephane Dalmat.
In their return to Belgium, Onyewu and Standard faced bottom-feeders Tubize, but were only able to scrounge one goal out of the match. The plucky Tubize side went down to a 21st minute Deiudonne Mbokani goal, but battled to keep from conceding more to the Belgian giants. Onyewu again played 90 minutes, and he and his teammates will look forward to their huge matchup against fellow powerhouses Anderlecht as they battle for supremacy in the Jupiler League. Next up: Away to Anderlecht, Friday, September 26
Square Passes
Danny Califf and former Indiana and PSV Eindhoven player Lee Nguyen met in the Danish league as second-placed FC Midtjylland and FC Randers battled to a 0-0 draw on Sunday the 21st. Califf played the entire match in his customary centre-back spot, and Nguyen came on as a substitute in the 74th minute for forward Soren Berg.
Jozy Altidore didn’t see any playing time this week, as Altidore was surprisingly left out of Villarreal’s Champions League squad after his sparkling debut against Deportivo. Villarreal traveled to England to face Champions League holders Manchester United, but Jozy was not selected to make the trip. After an injury scare during training during the week, the former New York Red Bull was also left on the bench against Numancia, as Guille Franco and Joseba Llorente started in tandem.
Freddy Adu was left on the bench during Monaco’s key matchup against Marseille, but he will hope to see action when they face Lille in the principality on the 28th.
Aaron West's "Americans on the Continent" column appears every Monday on Goal.com.
It was a good week for Carlos Bocanegra and Rennes. The former Fulham defender netted his first goal for the French club in their midweek UEFA Cup match against Dutch side FC Twente.
The game was tight throughout, with chances for both sides early on. Twente took the lead when Romano Denneboom latched onto an early cross in the 12th minute, steering a fine header from the penalty spot into the upper corner of the goal.
Stephane M’Bia then leveled the match in the 36th minute with a header off a Rennes corner. In the 50th minute, Bocanegra fired his side ahead with yet another headed goal from a Rennes set piece. He and his teammates battled well to maintain their lead for the next 40 minutes, securing a 2-1 win in the first half of the two-legged fixture.
On Sunday, Bocanegra and Rennes returned to Ligue 1 play, eking out a 0-0 draw away to Nancy. The match was far from a boring affair, with Rennes holding a 12-7 advantage in shots. However, neither side was able to capitalize on their chances as only 4 of the 19 total shots found the target. Bocanegra again went the distance for Rennes, which now sit in 12th place in the league table.
Carlos Bocanegra, Rennes (France)
vs. FC Twente Enschede, 2-1, 90 minutes, 1 goal; vs. AS Nancy Lorraine, 0-0, 90 minutes
See above. Next up: vs. Nice, Saturday, September 27
Danny Szetela, Brescia Calcio (Italy)
vs. Treviso, 0-0, 90 minutes; vs. Ascoli, 2-1, 90 minutes
Szetela continued his run in the first team for Brescia, putting in two solid performances and further cementing his place in the Italian club’s midfield. He went the full 90 as Brescia drew with Treviso at home midweek. On Saturday, he again played the full match, and Brescia were able to pull out a victory courtesy of two late goals from Savio Nserenko and Davide Possanzini. Next up: Away to Ancona, Tuesday, September 23
Neven Subotic, Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
vs. Udinese, 0-2, 90 minutes; vs. TSG Hoffenheim
After a good start, Subotic and Dortmund have endured a torrid time of late, without a win since August 30th. In their midweek UEFA Cup match at home to Udinese, they were beaten soundly by the vibrant Italian side. While Subotic played the full match, he was unable to prevent two early goals from Antonio Floro Flores and Gokhan Inler in the 2-0 loss. In their Sunday match away to Hoffenheim, Dortmund were run off the pitch by an inspired display from newly promoted side. Again, Subotic lasted 90 minutes, but was unable to prevent his side from conceding 4 goals in 67 minutes before Felipe Santana pulled one back in the 90th minute. Next up: Away to VFB Stuttgart, Sunday, September 27
Michael Bradley, Borussia Mönchengladbach (Germany)
vs. Hertha Berlin, 0-1, 65 minutes
Bradley was handed a surprise debut start for Mönchengladbach when Dutch international Patrick Pauuwe pulled up with an injury during the pre-game. Bradley put in a solid performance, forcing Berlin keeper Jaroslav Drobny into action early with a 6th-minute drive towards the lower corner. He was sacrificed in the 65th minute for the more attacking Alexander Baumjohann (scorer of the August 31st wonder-goal against Werder Bremen), but ‘Gladbach were unable to recover from Gojko Kacar’s 11th-minute strike. Next up: vs. Hamburg SV, Saturday, September 28
Sal Zizzo, Hannover 96 (Germany)
Away to Bayer Leverkusen, 0-4, 40 minutes
Former UCLA standout Zizzo was finally handed his season debut for Hannover, coming on for Jan Schlaudraff in the 50th minute against Bayer Leverkusen. American teammate Steve Cherundolo was sidelined due to an abdominal injury, but Hannover’s hopes were high following their 5-1 demolition of Borussia Mönchengladbach the previous week. However, Leverkusen’s German striker Patrick Helmes had destruction on his mind, scoring a hat trick and leaving Hannover helpless. Next up: vs. Bayern Munich, Saturday, September 28
Oguchi Onyewu, Standard Liege (Belgium)
Away to Everton, 2-2, 90 minutes; vs. A.F.C. Tubize, 1-0, 90 minutes
In Standard’s midweek UEFA Cup action, Onyewu helped lead his side to an admirable 2-2 draw in their first leg tie away to Everton. In a free-flowing, seesaw match, the two sides traded goals in the first half, ending with Segundo Castillo’s 25-yard drive to round out the scoring in the 38th minute. Remarkably, the 2nd half produced no addition to the score sheet, although Liege did have a shout for a penalty in stoppage time as Joleon Lescott appeared to bring down Stephane Dalmat.
In their return to Belgium, Onyewu and Standard faced bottom-feeders Tubize, but were only able to scrounge one goal out of the match. The plucky Tubize side went down to a 21st minute Deiudonne Mbokani goal, but battled to keep from conceding more to the Belgian giants. Onyewu again played 90 minutes, and he and his teammates will look forward to their huge matchup against fellow powerhouses Anderlecht as they battle for supremacy in the Jupiler League. Next up: Away to Anderlecht, Friday, September 26
Square Passes
Danny Califf and former Indiana and PSV Eindhoven player Lee Nguyen met in the Danish league as second-placed FC Midtjylland and FC Randers battled to a 0-0 draw on Sunday the 21st. Califf played the entire match in his customary centre-back spot, and Nguyen came on as a substitute in the 74th minute for forward Soren Berg.
Jozy Altidore didn’t see any playing time this week, as Altidore was surprisingly left out of Villarreal’s Champions League squad after his sparkling debut against Deportivo. Villarreal traveled to England to face Champions League holders Manchester United, but Jozy was not selected to make the trip. After an injury scare during training during the week, the former New York Red Bull was also left on the bench against Numancia, as Guille Franco and Joseba Llorente started in tandem.
Freddy Adu was left on the bench during Monaco’s key matchup against Marseille, but he will hope to see action when they face Lille in the principality on the 28th.
Aaron West's "Americans on the Continent" column appears every Monday on Goal.com.
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