AMSTERDAM – A handful of Americans clocked in Old World-style on Sunday, with Mikkel Diskerud notching an assist as Rosenborg officially clinched their Europa League return with a 4-1 Tippeligaen closing-day triumph at Steve Clark's Hønefoss.
The US midfielder set up the 26th minute opener with a pinpoint corner-kick serve. The Troll Kids halted a three-game slide to secure third place for the second straight season and a place in the Europa League first qualifying round next July.
Clark, meanwhile, made two saves in one of his rougher outings this term. Hønefoss ended up winless in 13 and in 13th place, one point above the trap door.
Over in Belgium's Jupiler League, Sacha Kljestan made a star turn as Anderlecht squeaked past pesky guests Kortrijk 1-0.
In addition to properly directing traffic, the Mauves midfielder narrowly missed on a late breakaway and could have notched a pair of assists were it not for repeated Man of the Match heroics by away netminder Darren Keet. After wasting a catalog of chances, including a spot kick, Anderlecht finally grabbed the points on a last-gasp Dieumerci Mbokani winner to move four points clear at the top.
Next door in the Bundesliga, Fabian Johnson and Daniel Williams had disappointing outings in Hoffenheim's 3-1 home loss to Wolfsburg.
The former went missing at the back post on the Wolves' opening strike, while Williams – who was pulled at the break – was caught out of position by a turnover on the away team's second. Having won just once in their last five, Hoffenheim dropped a rung to 14th.
One league below, Andrew Wooten managed to draw a couple of good saves in Sandhausen's 5-2 defeat at VfL Bochum. The basement-dwellers have lost five straight by a combined 18-5 count.
