AMSTERDAM — FC Nordsjælland defender Michael Parkhurst was the lone victorious American Export on Saturday, as the home side edged out Chris Rolfe and SAS Liga guests Aalborg BK 1-0. Both US internationals went the distance, though Parkhurst's shift from left to right back cancelled what would have been a direct match-up between the former MLS foes.
Working on the AaB right side of attack, Rolfe was twice robbed of a goal and supplied a handful of dangerous crosses. However, the hosts made good on a late first half Mikkel Beckmann spot kick to tentatively regain second place. The Wild Tigers have now posted five wins and four clean sheets in their last six league games.
Over in the EPL, Tim Howard and Everton were on the wrong end of a 3-1 result at Chelsea. The US netminder was partially at fault with a flailing approach on John Terry's winner on the stroke of halftime.
The day wasn't any kinder to Clint Dempsey and Fulham, who conceded twice over the final 10 minutes to fall 2-0 at Stoke City. The Cottagers ace was oddly ineffective during his full shift, but still managed Fulham’s only shot on goal all afternoon with a stoppage-time drive from distance straight at the keeper.
Meanwhile, back-up netminder Brad Guzan watched from his usual seat in the dugout while Aston Villa were thumped 4-1 at Manchester City.
One floor down in the Championship, Robbie Findley went agonizingly close twice during his 14 minutes of relief as slumping Nottingham Forest dropped a 1-0 decision at Coventry City.
Up in Scotland, Carlos Bocanegra went the distance and Maurice Edu 72 minutes as Rangers were pegged back near the death in a 1-1 draw with visiting St. Mirren.
Edu narrowly missed on a restart header just after the break. The near goal would’ve been helped the home side put the game away before former 'Gers striker Steven Thompson equalized for St. Mirren in stoppage time.
On the continent, Dutch Eredivisie action saw Jozy Altidore's table toppers AZ Alkmaar blow a two-goal halftime lead to settle for a 2-2 share away to defending champs Ajax.
The US striker pitched in an honest 72 minutes work, drawing a second yellow on Eyong Enoh when the Ajax midfielder had to step into Altidore before he breached the area on his good foot. Nevertheless, Theo Janssen picked the far corner with eight minutes to play to rescue the 10-man hosts and reduce AZ's league lead to two points over victorious PSV Eindhoven.
Nearby in the Bundesliga, Daniel Williams worked 62 minutes in defensive midfield as Hoffenheim fell 2-0 at regional rivals Stuttgart. Now winless in three, the visitors slid down to ninth place.
Timothy Chandler went his typical full shift as sputtering FC Nürnberg suffered a late 2-1 loss at Wolfsburg. With no victories in the last four, [i]Der Club[/i] has slipped to 12th.
Schalke midfielder Jermaine Jones worked the second half with his side down a man in their 2-1 home defeat to Kaiserslautern.
Also, David Yelldell served as No. 2 keeper for Bayer Leverkusen's 2-2 draw at Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Down in the 2.Bundesliga, Edson Buddle came on for the final 14 minutes as Ingolstadt dropped into the relegation mire with a 3-1 loss at Duisburg.
Finally, in Norway's Tippeligaen, Mikkel Diskerud and Stabæk rallied for a 1-1 share at Lillestrøm.
