AMSTERDAM – Brad Guzan needed just two saves to post his first Premier League shutout since New Year's Day as visiting Aston Villa sailed through Sunderland 4-0 on Saturday afternoon.
The US No. 1 was given very little to do on a day when the Villans would score as many goals in the opening 45 minutes as they had in their first 14 road games of the season. In addition to comfortably saving a pair of distance tries, Guzan also raced off his line to smother an early Jermain Defoe chance and rang up one cross claim.
In addition to running his career record against the Black Cats to a bulletproof 5-0-2, Guzan now has eight shutouts for the term and back-to-back-victories for the first time since early December. As for Villa, they moved three points above the trap door.
Around the EPL, Geoff Cameron was a halftime center back sub as Stoke City fell 1-0 at West Bromwich Albion.
The American pitched in with three clearances and two area shot blocks, but the Potters were never able to cancel out a 19th minute Baggies opener. The result snapped a Stoke three-game win streak, keeping them eight points shy of a Europa League slot.
One league below in the Championship, Tim Ream set up the early winner as part of his star display in Bolton's 2-0 home win over Millwall.
The left back picked out a streaking Adam Le Fondre with a long ball from his own half and the forward proceeded to put Wanderers into a 10th minute lead. It was Ream's third assist of the season.
The reigning Bolton Player of the Season was far from done, as he spent much of the afternoon halting Millwall attacks with a game-best six tackles, five clearances, three pass picks, three cross blocks and a pair of shot blocks directly in front of goal. Ream then routinely showed his teammates the way forward, completing six forward passes in or into the attacking half and five successful switches to the opposite flank.
Thanks to their first victory in four, Ream & Co. rose to 10 points over the danger line in 16th place.
Elsewhere, Jonathan Spector had an otherwise strong center back shift marred by one play in Birmingham City's 1-1 share with guests Huddersfield Town.
The Brums veteran was soundly beaten on Joe Lolley's 27th minute equalizer, but rallied to lead all players with both eight clearances and eight pass interceptions. Spector also had a solid day playing long out of the back and added two shot blocks. The draw kept Birmingham unbeaten in four while also dropping them down to 15th place.
Eric Lichaj's excellent left back outing was not enough to keep Nottingham Forest from settling for a 0-0 draw at Leeds United.
The Illinois native stacked up a game-high six pass interceptions against his former loan employers, to go with six clearances and a pair of tackles. Lichaj also put a scare into the away netminder with 18 minutes left, bouncing a rocket on frame from nearly 40 yards out. Forest, who now have but one defeat in their last seven road games, inched to within eight points of a promotion playoff spot.
Over in the Bundesliga, Timothy Chandler was on top of his right back game as Eintracht Frankfurt moved to within four points of a Europa League place by schooling visitors Paderborn 4-0.
The US international enjoyed impact moments at both ends, most notably when he released the crosser on Eintracht's second near the break and when he executed a sliding line clearance with 13 minutes to play. Chandler repeatedly set his teammates to running, completing eight passes into the final third, including a pinpoint 33rd minute cross that deserved a better finish.
Now 5-0-2 in their last seven at home, Eintracht jumped one rung to eighth place.
Meanwhile, Hertha Berlin defender John Anthony Brooks was at fault on both Schalke goals as the visitors fought back twice for a 2-2 draw in the capital.
A poor bit of area coverage by the youngster allowed Leroy Sané to chip home the first equalizer from a sharp angle shortly before halftime. Then, with Hertha mere moments from ending a 12-game victory drought in the series, Brooks misjudged a cross to give Joel Matip space for the last-minute leveler.
On the day, Brooks enjoyed a solid shift on the ball, while picking off a game-high six passes and adding three tackles. Still unbeaten in three, Hertha moved three points clear of the relegation fray.
Meanwhile, Julian Green watched from the away dugout as Hamburg remained winless in five with a 3-0 loss at Hoffenheim.
To the north in Sweden, Heath Pearce and IFK Göteborg advanced to the final four of the Svenska Cupen with a 2-0 home victory at the expense of Matt Pyzdrowski's Helsingborg.
The visiting Reds fell behind almost instantly after kickoff, with a poor Jesper Björkman back pass putting Pyzdrowski under heavy pressure. Lasse Vine took advantage of the American netminder's heavy first touch to steal and set up Gustav Engvall for the quick opener.
Pyzdrowski would later get a measure of revenge by cruelly stopping a Vibe breakaway chance, but it would be Pearce's strong center back effort helping cup holders Göteborg ease on to the semifinals. The Blåvitt move on to host the winner of Sunday's BK Häcken-Norrköping contest on March 21 with a place in the final up for grabs.
Greg Seltzer covers Americans based in Europe for MLSsoccer.com.
