AMSTERDAM – Hertha Berlin defender John Anthony Brooks returned to the lineup with a vengeance to help the visitors vault out of the Bundesliga danger zone with a 2-0 victory at Mainz 05.
The US international was in no mood to allow opposing attackers into the area, racking up a game-high six pass interceptions, all of which came at the doorstep of the Hertha box. Brooks also logged eight clearances and drew a good save from 15 yards at the other end in the 25th minute. The capital crew's victory not only snapped a three-game losing slide, it lifted them four rungs to 13th place.
Across the border in the Netherlands, Rubio Rubin was held without a shot as FC Utrecht dropped a 3-1 decision away to Eredivisie leaders PSV Eindhoven on Saturday night.
The US attacker completed 15 of 20 passes, but with PSV carrying play throughout, never saw the ball in a dangerous area during his 67-minute shift.
Utrecht lost for the third straight game and the sixth time in the their last eight, slipping to 13th place.
Over in England's Premier League, Brad Guzan and Aston Villa saw their losing streak extended to four games as a late stunner from Branislav Ivanovic gave visiting league leaders Chelsea a 2-1 victory.
The Villans backstop notched three saves, including a highlight-reel job on Oscar midway through the opening frame. Despite the 16th-place hosts scoring their first EPL goal in 660 minutes just after the break to cancel an early deficit, they remained winless in eight league games.
One league below in the Championship, Daniel Williams punctuated a Man of the Match showing by firing in the 70th minute decider in Reading's 2-1 win at Wolverhampton.
The midfielder was good up until the teams went into intermission with the score tied and him carrying a yellow card, but positively monstrous after it. In the midst of setting up five second half shots for teammates, Williams buried a layoff from 24 yards to put the visitors ahead to stay.
In addition to netting his first goal of the season in style, Williams also rang up two of his three tackles and a shot block after halftime as the Royals won consecutive league games for the first time since mid-September.
Elsewhere, Eric Lichaj was the top performer on the Nottingham Forest backline as the visitors scored a 3-2 victory at Brighton Hove & Albion.
The right back piled up a game-high 12 clearances to go with six interceptions, three tackles and three blocked crosses. By snapping a two-game skid, the Reds climbed into the better half of the table.
Jonathan Spector ably worked his third straight game in the heart of Birmingham City's defense as the visitors rallied for a 1-1 share against Fulham.
The veteran led all players with nine clearances and added a pair of tackles. Despite running their unbeaten streak to six league games, the Brums held still in 11th place.
Oguchi Onyewu made his first Charlton start as the strugglers fell 3-1 at Middlesbrough.
The center back's weak header out of his own box led to the Boro opener, but he recovered to make a game-best nine clearances and three interceptions. Now winless in 13 league matches, the Addicks slipped to 19th place.
Despite a solid outing from Tim Ream, Bolton suffered a 4-1 whooping at Derby County.
On a day of several tactical switches at the back, Ream worked at left back and centrally in both four and five-man defenses. The St. Louis native totalled game highs with seven pass interceptions and five tackles, while adding six clearances.
The defender also completed 37 of 43 passes with but one handling turnover, but it was not nearly enough to keep 17th place Wanderers from dropping consecutive road games for the first time in four months.
