A look at the latest news and performances of former Major League
Soccer standouts around the globe:
International Friendlies
U.S. national team head coach Bob Bradley picked five MLS alumni -- Tim Howard, Carlos Bocanegra, Michael Bradley, Stuart Holden and Jozy Altidore for his starting XI in the 2-1 loss in Amsterdam to the Netherlands on March 3. In addition to that quintet, on-loan MLS MVP Landon Donovan was also in the starting lineup. Four other MLS alumni -- DaMarcus Beasley, Maurice Edu, Eddie Johnson and Clarence Goodson also saw action as substitutes. Bocanegra, who captained the team, scored the lone U.S. goal from a header in the 89th minute.
In other international action on Wednesday, LA Galaxy on-loan midfielder David Beckham dressed but did not play in England's 3-1 win over Egypt at Wembley Stadium. Portugal, coached by former MetroStars head coach Carlos Queiroz, beat China 2-0 at home. Another former MetroStars head coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira, saw his South Africa side held 1-1 at home by Namibia. Former LA Galaxy forward Carlos Pavon was a second-half substitute for Honduras in the their 2-0 loss at Turkey. Former New England Revolution midfielder Andy Dorman dressed but did not play for Wales in their 1-0 home loss to Sweden. Ex-Chicago Fire Designated Player Cuauhtemoc Blanco played the first half for Mexico in El Tri's 2-0 win against New Zealand at a sold-out Rose Bowl. Former New England Revoluion defender Tony Lochhead played the full 90 for the Kiwis.
AFC Asian Cup Qualifying
In Group E action on March 3, Iran, coached by former LA Galaxy assistant Afshin Ghotbi, beat Thailand 1-0 at home on a 90th-minute goal.
UEFA Europa League
In Europa League third-round, second-leg action on Feb. 25, it was a long night for former MetroStars goalkeeper Tim Howard in Lisbon, Portugal as Everton crashed out of the competition with a 3-0 loss at Sporting Lisbon. The Toffees had won the first leg 2-1, but exited 4-2 on aggregate. Landon Donovan put in a 73-minute shift.
In other action, Revs alumnus Clint Dempsey remained sidelined for Fulham's 1-1 tie at Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine). That result gave the Cottagers a 3-2 aggregate win over the 2009 UEFA Cup champions. Colorado Rapids alumnus Dedi Ben Dayan also remained sidelined by injury as Hapoel Tel Aviv tied 0-0 at home with FK Rubin Kazan (Russia), a result that sees Rubin advance 3-0 on aggregate.
Elsewhere Around the World
In Argentina, in Week 6 of the Clausura on Feb. 27, former LA Galaxy defender Eduardo Dominguez played the full 90 in a game that featured twice as many cards as goals (11 cards: nine yellows, two red) as Huracán beat Vélez Sarsfield 3-2 at home.
In Sunday action, former D.C. United Designated Player Marcelo Gallardo was a halftime substitute as River Plate tied 1-1 at Gimnasia La Plata.
In Week 7 action on March 2, Eduardo Dominguez scored the equalizing goal for Huracán in their 1-1 tie at Racing Club. The Dominguez goal came in the 89th minute.
In Brazil, in Week 11 of the Torneo Paulista on Feb. 27, former D.C. United striker Luciano Emilio came out of the game at halftime as Rio Branco lost 2-1 at home to Ituano.
In Colombia, in Week 5 of the Primera Etapa, Independiente Medellin, coached by former Revs and Dallas Burn alumnus Leonel Alvarez, beat Deportes QuindÃo 1-0 at home on Feb. 27. Former Kansas City Wizards striker Ivan Trujillo was a second-half substitute for QuindÃo.
In Sunday action, former MetroStars striker Sergio Galvan Rey played the full 90 as América de Cali rallied from a two-goal deficit to tie 2-2 at home with Envigado.
In Costa Rica, in Week 7 of the Torneo de Verano on Feb. 27, Columbus Crew alumnus Erick Scott put in a 57-minute shift as Alajuelense won 1-0 at home over Santos de Guáples.
The next day, two-team MLS alumnus Andy Herron put in an 82-minute shift as Ramonense beat Herediano 1-0 at home. Ex-San Jose Clash midfielder Mauricio Solis played the full 90 for Herediano. In other Sunday action, Brujas, coached by former San Jose Clash and New England Revolution alumnus Mauricio Wright, lost 2-0 at UCR. Another two-team MLS alumnus, Alejandro Sequeira scored Saprissa's equalizing goal (from the penalty spot) in the 2-2 tie at Cartaginés. His brother, former Chivas USA midfielder Douglas Sequeira, did not dress for Saprissa.
In Ecuador, in Week 4 of the Copa Credife Primera Fase, former D.C. United midfielder Franco Neill was sent off in the 74th minute of Deportivo Quito's 3-0 loss at Manta FC on Feb. 26.
In Saturday action, El Nacional lost 5-3 at Espoli. Former MetroStars and LA Galaxy midfielder Wellington Sanchez put in a 69-minute shift and picked up a yellow card for El Nacional.
In England, in EPL action on Feb. 27, Houston Dynamo alumnus Stuart Holden made his first Premiership start for Bolton Wanderers and was outstanding in the Trotters 1-0 home win over Wolverhampton Wanderers. Former Rapids goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann manned the nets for Wolves.
In Sunday EPL action, Landon Donovan missed an open goal and a chance to tie the game as Everton lost 2-1 at Tottenham Hotspur. As always, Tim Howard manned the nets for the Toffees. Clint Dempsey remained sidelined by a knee injury as Fulham tied 0-0 at Sunderland. A knee injury also sidelined former D.C. United captain Ryan Nelsen as Blackburn Rovers lost 2-1 at Liverpool.
Down a rung in the Championship, Plymouth Argyle, managed by former Revs assistant coach Paul Mariner lost a seven-goal thriller 4-3 at Sheffield United on Feb. 27. The Blades jumped to a 3-0 lead after 47-minutes but although the Pilgrims rallied they could not pull level, despite pulling with a goal twice. Former FC Dallas striker Kenny Cooper dressed but did not play for Plymouth. In other Saturday action FC Dallas alumnus Mark Wilson came out of the game in stoppage time as Doncaster Rovers tied 1-1 at home with Crystal Palace. Ex-Columbus Crew striker Stern John did not dress for the Eagles.
Much further down the English football food chain in League One, ex-Toronto FC midfielder Andy Welsh was a second-half substitute for Yeovil Town as the Glovers won 1-0 at home over MK Dons on Feb. 27.
In France, on Feb. 27, Fire alumnus Carlos Bocanegra played the full 90 as Stade Rennes lost 3-1 at Montpellier. Another former Fire defender Bakary Soumare dressed but did play as Boulogne lost 1-0 at AS Monaco.
In Germany, on Feb. 27, former MetroStars midfielder Michael Bradley played the full 90 as Borussia Moenchengladbach tied 1-1 at home with relegation strugglers SC Freiburg. In other Saturday action, former Houston Dynamo midfielder Ricardo Clark dressed but did not play as Eintracht Frankfurt lost 2-1 at VfB Stuttgart.
In 2.Bundesliga action on Feb. 26, ex-Wizards and Chivas USA striker Matt Taylor did not dress as FSV Frankfurt tied 0-0 at home with Energie Cottbus.
In Greece, on Feb. 28, MLS alumni Eddie Johnson and Freddy Adu both dressed but did not see action for Aris Thessalonika in their 2-0 home win over Larissa.
In Israel, in Week 24 of Ligat Al, former Rapids midfielder Dedi Ben Dayan remained sidelined by injury as Hapoel Tel Aviv won 1-0 at home over Bnei Sakhnin on Feb. 28.
In Italy, in Serie A action on Feb. 28, LA Galaxy on-loan midfield maestro David Beckham was back in the AC Milan starting lineup and played the full 90 as the Rossoneri beat Atalanta 3-1 at the San Siro. Milan's young Brazilian striker Alexandre Pato scored two of the goals.
In Mexico, in Week 8 of the Clausura on Feb. 27, former FC Dallas defender Duilio Davino played the full 90 as Monterrey won 1-0 at Atlante. In other action, ex-Chivas USA striker Isaac Romo played the full 90 for Querétaro in their 1-1 home tie with Santos. Former Rapids striker Daniel Osorno was a second-half substitute in Atlas' 3-1 loss at Cruz Azul. Chivas USA alumnus Paco Palencia made an eight-minute cameo as Pumas won 3-0 at Pachuca. Another Chivas USA veteran Paulo Nagamura did not dress for Tigres in their 3-0 home loss to Morelia.
On Sunday, former MLS Golden Boot winner Carlos Ruiz came out of the game at halftime as Puebla tied Chiapas 3-3 at home. In other action, Colorado Rapids alumnus Alain N'Kong was a second-half substitute for Indios as they lost 3-0 at Toluca. Ex-MetroStars defender Diego Jimenez was sent off in the 51st minute of the Tecos' 2-1 home loss to Club América.
Down a level in the Liga de Ascenso on Feb. 27, former Chicago Fire Designated Player Cuauhtemoc Blanco played the full 90 and picked up a yellow card as Veracruz lost 1-0 at Pumas Morelos. On Sunday, Feb. 28, former Chivas USA midfielder Francisco Mendoza was a second-half substitute for Tijuana in their 2-1 win at Cruz Azul Hidalgo. In other Sunday action, former D.C. United midfielder Eliseo Quintanilla played the full 90 as Correcaminos UAT tied 0-0 at home with Necaxa.
In Scotland, in SPL action on Feb. 27, ex-Real Salt Lake striker Kenny Deuchar played the full 90 and former Toronto FC striker Collin Samuel made an 11-minute substitute appearance as St. Johnstone tied 1-1 at Hibernian. In other Saturday action, former Revs midfielder Andy Dorman put in a 69-minute shift as St. Mirren tied 0-0 at home with Hamilton Academical.
In other SPL action, former Toronto FC midfielder Maurice Edu scored the winning goal for Rangers with almost the last kick of the game as the Light Blues beat archrivals Celtic in the Old Firm derby at Ibrox Stadium. Edu came into the came in the 26th minute for the injured Lee McCulloch. Ex-Fire star DaMarcus Beasley dressed but did not play for Rangers.
Further down the Scottish football food chain in Division One, Colorado Rapids alumnus Tam McManus scored Ayr United's third goal in a six-goal thriller at Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Saturday, Feb. 27. McManus's 71st-minute strike gave Ayr a 3-2 lead but an Adam Rooney penalty kick in the 90th minute secured a dramatic 3-3 draw.
In Venezuela, in Week 6 of the Clausura on Feb. 28, former Red Bulls defender Gabriel Cicero played the full 90 as Caracas FC demolished Atlético VigÃa 6-0 at home.
Performance of the Week
With a tip of the hat to Houston Dynamo alumnus Stuart Holden for his fine play for Bolton in his Premiership starting debut against Wolves on Feb. 27, the honors this week go to former Toronto FC starlet Maurice Edu. After an injury-plagued season, Edu came into the Old Firm derby in the 26th minute on Sunday, Feb. 27 and scored the winning goal in stoppage time for Rangers over archrival Celtic. That win gave Rangers a 10-point lead in the SPL standings and all but clinched the title. Edu also looked composed and poised in the U.S. national team midfield after coming into the game at halftime in the 2-1 loss to the Netherlands in Amsterdam. For that Edu 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."
