AMSTERDAM – A handful of Americans suited up overseas on Wednesday, with an early Sacha Kljestan strike sending Belgian leaders Anderlecht on their way to a 2-1 victory over Zulte-Waregem.
The US midfielder opened the scoring with his third goal of the season, a seventh-minute corner-kick header. After the visitors leveled, Kljestan also hit the post on the stroke of halftime.
In the end, Milan Jovanovic's early second-half tally provided the margin for Anderlecht to maintain a six-point summit lead, which will now be halved as Belgium moves to its peculiar 10-game championship playoff.
Over in the English Premier League, Brad Friedel's Tottenham rallied near the death for a 1-1 home draw against Stoke City. Now winless in four despite Rafael van der Vaart's last-minute equalizer, Spurs slipped to fourth place.
The White Hart Lane crew fell behind archnemesis Arsenal, who were a bit fortunate to to run out 1-0 away winners against Tim Howard and Everton. An incorrectly disallowed equalizer made three saves by the US netminder go for naught as the Toffees dropped to 10th.
Heading to Israel, Leo Krupnick was beaten for the late consolation, but otherwise held the fort as visiting Maccabi Netanya advanced to the State Cup quarterfinals with a 2-1 victory at runaway league leaders Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona.
With Bryan Gerzicich working 63 minutes for the hosts, Krupnick & Co. registered their fourth consecutive road win and second at Ironi Stadium on this campaign to stay in the hunt for their first State Cup title since 1978.
