AMSTERDAM – Daniel Williams and Reading are set for a home replay after posting a 0-0 draw away to FA Cup quarterfinal hosts Bradford City on Saturday afternoon.
The US midfielder worked a lukewarm full shift as the Royals conceded 57 percent of the ball and got no closer to putting a shot on frame than Pavel Pogrebnyak's strike off the woodwork in the second half. The teams will likely reunite at the Madejski to decide who reaches the final four at Wembley on March 16, but the date cannot be set until all of the weekend's games have concluded.
Meanwhile, in the English Championship, Eric Lichaj slid over to left back as Nottingham Forest knocked Middlesbrough off the league summit with a 2-1 home victory.
The Illinois native had a bit of a quiet day passing the ball, but did create an excellent late chance with a long throw. At the defensive end, Lichaj piled up five clearances, four cross blocks and two tackles. Now 6-1-1 in their last eight league tilts, ninth-place Forest pulled to within nine points of the promotion playoff zone.
Also, Jonathan Spector's Birmingham City struck twice in stoppage time to rescue by a 2-2 share at second place Derby County.
The center back led all players with both seven clearances and four pass interceptions. Spector also smothered two shots and as many crosses, with all of the incidents occurring inside the Brums area. Though unbeaten in three, Birmingham slipped three spots to 14th place.
Borussia Mönchengladbach left winger Fabian Johnson punctuated a strong display by setting up what looked to be a late insurance tally, but the visitors then squandered their two-goal lead in the span of five minutes to settle for a 2-2 Bundesliga draw at Mainz 05 on Saturday evening.
Shortly after the Foals opened the scoring on 27 minutes, the US international expertly set up a great chance for Max Kruse. Johnson slipped the forward into the Mainz box through the left channel, only to watch his teammate drag his shot wide of the far post.
Johnson would eventually pocket his second assist of the league season and fourth across all competitions with the help of a Kruse dummy in the 67th minute. The American worked his way to the end line before cutting back a pass that would find its way through to Raffael, who promptly stabbed home his second of the night.
For the game, Johnson completed 29 of 39 passes without a single handling turnover and earned three free kicks. However, Mainz would stage a quick rally, cutting third place 'Gladbach's cushion in the Champions League race to four points.
Over in England's FA Cup, Brad Guzan watched on as Aston Villa booked a semifinal trip to Wembley with a 2-0 victory over visiting derby rivals West Bromwich Albion. The Villans – who have raised the trophy seven times, but not since 1957 – became the first club safely on to this year's final four.
Turning to Austria, Conor O'Brien and Wiener Neustadt continued their survival drive with a 0-0 stalemate against guests FC Admira Wacker Mödling.
Unfortunately, the midfielder left carrying a knock with 18 minutes to play. O'Brien nearly bagged an assist with an early set-up that deserved a better finish, while adding two tackles and a big blocked shot at the defensive end.
Thanks to their fourth clean sheet in the last five home games, Wiener Neustadt pushed their season-best unbeaten to four games. More importantly, the result kept O'Brien & Co. two points above the trap door in ninth place.
In French Ligue 1 action, Alejandro Bedoya returned from illness as an injury sub as 10-man Nantes fell 3-1 at Reims.
The US attacker entered the fray on 29 minutes with his side already down by two goals. Bedoya connected on 17 of 20 passes, setting up one good chance that saw teammate Serge Gapke cruelly denied just after the break. Due to their third defeat in four games, the Canaries dropped to 10th place.
