AMSTERDAM – Freddy Adu played the hero on Sunday, booting Çaykur Rizespor up to second place in the Turkish second flight with a terrific individual goal, claiming a 1-0 victory over Gaziantep BB.
Just after the half hour, the Benfica loanee received on the turn at the top right of the area, then fired a one-hopper inside the far post from 20 yards.
Adu has now bagged a goal and an assist in his first three games with Rizespor, while the team has collected seven points to take hold of an automatic promotion place. Rizespor are one point off the league summit.
Up a flight in the Süper Lig, Jozy Altidore accidentally assisted on the opener, but Bursaspor were eventually forced to settle for a 1-1 home draw with Istanbul BB.
Eight minutes before the break, the US striker's low shot from above the area was smothered by teammate Pablo Batalla, who then buried an easy goal from the doorstep. Over the rest of an active 65-minute shift, Altidore worked the opposing 'keeper three times and nodded another chance just wide.
Over in the Scottish Premier League, Maurice Edu was a consistent threat in attack as second-place Rangers cut their title deficit on archrivals Celtic to five points with a 1-0 triumph at St. Mirren.
Danish SAS Liga play resumed on Sunday as well, with Clarence Goodson making his Brondby debut with a physical 90-minute display in their 1-1 derby draw with Lyngby.
Michael Parkhurst was also in action, going the distance in central defense as FC Nordsjælland dropped a humbling 4-0 decision at Randers FC.
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