Antony de Avila
-- was back in the starting lineup for America de Cali in their 2-0 loss at Deportivo Pereira. The former MetroStars striker put in a 66-minute shift.
In Costa Rica, on Oct. 4, two-team MLS veteran Douglas Sequeira, played the full 90 as Saprissa lost 1-0 at Liberia. LA Galaxy alumnus Michael Umana went the distance for Liberia. In other Sunday action, former Crew and Fire star Andy Herron put in a 69-minute shift and San Jose Clash veteran Mauricio Solis played the full 90 as Herediano won 2-1 at home over Brujas. Former MetroStars alumnus Pablo Brenes went the distance for Brujas.
In Denmark, on Oct. 4, former LA Galaxy defender Danny Califf did not dress for FC Midtjylland as the Wolves won 2-1 at home over Koge. Former Revs defender Michael Parkhurst dressed but did not play as FC Nordsjaelland crashed 6-3 at Brondby.
In Ecuador, in Week 12 of the Segunda Fase, El Nacional tied 1-1 at Macará, on Oct. 3. Former MetroStars and LA Galaxy midfielder Wellington Sanchez played the full 90 for El Nacional.
In England, on Oct. 3, former Red Bulls sensation Jozy Altidore dressed but did not play as Hull City snapped its three-game losing streak with a much needed 2-1 home win over Wigan Athletic. In other Saturday action, ex-Rapids goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann was on the bench for Wolves, as the black and gold lost 1-0 at home to bottom club Portsmouth.
In Sunday EPL action, Tim Howard's Everton had their five-game winning streak (in all competitions) come to a halt with a 1-1 home tie with Stoke City.
Howard's U.S. national team colleague Clint Dempsey suffered a shoulder injury in Fulham 2-2 tie at West Ham that will keep him out of the World Cup qualifier at Honduras. Down 1-0 at halftime and with South African midfielder Kagisho Dikgacoi sent off the 41st minute, Fulham rallied in the second half to take a 2-1 lead. Then in the second minute of stoppage time Junior Stanislas equalized for the Hammers. Former Kansas City Wizards striker Eddie Johnson made an eventful eight-minute cameo, picking up a yellow card in the 87th minute and squandering a solid chance for glory when shooting wide after doing well to create a late scoring opportunity.
The injury bug sidelined ex-D.C. United skipper Ryan Nelsen again on Sunday. A back injury kept him out of Blackburn's 6-2 pounding at Arsenal.
Nelsen's former teammate at Blackburn, 1997 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Brad Friedel, was in action, putting in another solid performance as Aston Villa tied Manchester City 1-1 at Villa Park. Ex-Chivas USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan took his customary position on the Villans bench.
Further down the English football food chain in League One, ex-Toronto FC midfielder Andy Welsh put in an 87-minute shift as Yeovil Town picked up a very respectable point at Oldham Athletic, holding the Latics to a 0-0 draw on Saturday. That tie snapped Oldham's three-game win streak and was the third consecutive shutout for the Glovers.
In France, on Oct. 3, former MLS Defender of the Year Carlos Bocanegra was sent off in the 16th minute of Rennes' 1-0 home loss to AJ Auxerre. The U.S. national team captain was ejected after referee Wilfried Bien judged Bocanegra to have committed a so-called "professional foul" on Auxerre's Dennis Oliech. From the subsequent free kick, Benoit Pedretti scored the game's only goal.
On Sunday, another former Fire defender, Bakary Soumare, played the full 90 as Boulogne lost 3-2 at home to Lille.
In Germany, on Oct. 3, former MetroStars midfielder Michael Bradley returned to the Borussia Moenchengladbach starting lineup in the Foals' 1-0 home loss to Borussia Dortmund.
In 2.Bundesliga action on Oct. 4, former FC Dallas marksman Kenny Cooper put in a 63-minute shift as 1860 Munich lost 3-1 at St. Pauli. Ex-Wizards and Chivas USA striker Matt Taylor came into the game at halftime for FSV Frankfurt as they snapped a four-game losing streak with a 1-1 home tie with Kaiserslautern.
In Israel, in Week 5 of Ligat Al, former Rapids midfielder Dedi Ben Dayan played the full 90 as Hapoel Tel Aviv won 3-0 at Maccabi Netanya on Oct. 4.
In Italy, in Serie A on Oct. 4, ex-Revs coach Walter Zenga saw his Palermo team hand Juventus their first league loss of the season. First-half goals by Edison Cavani and Fabio Simplicio paced Palmero to a 2-0 home win. It was not such a good weekend for former MetroStars midfielder Roberto Donadoni. After taking an early lead at Roma, his Napoli squad lost 2-1 on a Francesco Totti double. That defeat marked the end of Donadoni's tenure in Naples. On Tuesday, he was fired as head coach and replaced by former Sampdoria boss Walter Mazzarri.
In Mexico, in Week 11 of the Torneo Apertura, on Oct. 2, Colorado Rapids alumnus Daniel Osorno played the full 90 and picked up a yellow card as Atlas won 2-1 at UAG.
In Saturday action, ex-Chivas USA striker Paco Palencia started for UNAM, playing 65 minutes in the Pumas 2-1 win at Chiapas. A pair of MLS alumni got on the scoresheet in Querétaro's 3-1 home win over Indios de Ciudad Juarez. Chivas USA alumnus Isaac Romo scored the go-ahead goal for the home team after former Colorado Rapids defender Alain N'Kong had earlier scored an equalizing goal for Indios. Ex-FC Dallas defender Duilio Davino played the full 90 as Monterrey went down 1-0 at Chivas de Guadalajara. In one of the more bizarre games of the weekend, former Chivas USA alumnus Ramon Nunez was a second-half substitute as Cruz Azul lost 2-0 at UANL, despite the Tigres playing the entire second half a man down and the last 27 minutes two men down.
On Sunday, former MLS Golden Boot winner Carlos Ruiz scored two goals as Puebla rallied twice to tie Santos, 3-3 at home. Ruiz's second goal in the 84th minute clinched the draw.
In Norway, on Oct. 3, former Real Salt Lake defender Willis Forko and two-team MLS veteran Thiago Martins both played the full 90 for Bodo Glimt in their 3-0 loss at Stromsgodset. In Sunday action, ex-Fire and Wizards midfielder Khari Stephenson was a second-half substitute for Aalesunds in their 1-1 home tie with Sandefjord. Former Toronto FC goalkeeper Kenny Stamatopoulos retrieved the ball from his net twice as Fredrikstad lost 2-1 at Stabaek IF. IK Start's two MLS alumni, Clarence Goodson and Hunter Freeman, both played the full 90 as the Oslo team scored an upset 3-2 road win at league leaders Rosenborg. In a dramatic end to the game, Start scored two goals in the 89th and 90th minutes to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
In the Tippeligaen Monday night game, Troy Perkins' Valerenga beat Viking Stavanger, 3-1 at home.
In Peru, former D.C. United goalkeeper Jose Carvallo posted a shutout in Sporting Cristal's 4-0 home win over Colegio Nacional de Iquitos on Oct. 3.
In Poland, former Fire forward Tomasz Frankowski played the full 90 as Jagiellonia Bialystok upset Legia Warsaw at home 2-0 on Oct. 3 as JB recorded their first win of the season.
In Portugal, on Oct. 4, former D.C. United starlet Freddy Adu made his league debut for Belenenses in their 0-0 tie at Sporting Lisbon. Adu's debut came in the 65th minute, entering the game to replace Yontcha. That invaluable road point keeps Belenenses out of the relegation zone.
In Romania, on Oct. 4, it was a day to forget for former MLS All-Star Juan Toja as Steaua Bucharest tied 1-1 at home with Gloria Bistrita. The Colombian scored an own goal in the 17th minute to put Gloria ahead, and was substituted in the 63rd minute.
In Scotland, on Saturday, Oct. 3, St. Mirren finally broke their new stadium jinx. Ex-Revs midfielder Andy Dorman was back in the starting XI for the Buddies as St. Mirren posted a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over Hearts. With the victory, the Buddies finally snapped their 11-game SPL winless streak at their new home, St. Mirren Stadium. Speaking of breaking unwanted streaks, St. Johnstone won their first SPL game of the season at Hamilton on Saturday. Real Salt Lake alumnus Kenny Deuchar was a starter for the Johnnies in the 2-0 win. Ex-Toronto FC striker Collin Samuel was a second-half substitute.
In Sunday action, ex-Fire midfielder DaMarcus Beasley did not dress for the first Old Firm derby of the season as Rangers beat Celtic, 2-1, at Ibrox.
In South Africa, in Week 9 of the South African Premiership on Wednesday, Sept. 30, former Chicago Fire and Real Salt Lake alumnus Dipsy Selolwane scored Ajax Cape Town's goal in their 1-0 win at the Silver Stars.
On Friday, Oct. 2, Bulgaria legend and ex-Chicago Fire and D.C. United striker Hristo Stoichkov saw his Mamelodi Sundowns produce their best performance of the season, winning 5-1 at Maritzburg United. Down 1-0 at halftime, the Sundowns bounced back with five second half goals, including two by Katelego Mphela, to give under fire Stoichkov a much needed road win.
In Spain, on Saturday, Oct. 3, Mexico legend and former Dallas Burn striker Hugo Sanchez saw his Almeria side put up a spirited effort in a 1-0 loss at European champions Barcelona.
Performance of the Week
Former MLS goal machine
Carlos Ruiz
has not lost his scoring touch down Mexico way. After a stint in Paraguay with Olimpia Ascuncion earlier in the year, the Guatemalan international is hitting the goal trail in Mexico's Primera Division with Puebla. On Sunday, El Pescadito bagged two goals for Puebla in the 3-3 tie with Santos. His second goal came six minutes from time to earn La Franja a hard earned point. For that, Ruiz gets the POTW.
Mark C. Young is an Emmy Award-winning freelance writer/TV producer who has covered several FIFA World Cups and Olympic Games. He is a contributor to Goal.com and also writes for the blog "No Mas."
