AMSTERDAM – Michael Bradley returned to the AS Roma starting line-up on Sunday, working a decent full shift in a 1-1 draw at Atalanta.
The US midfielder was second in completed passes among all players, helping the visitors control 58 percent of possession. Kevin Strootman's 90th-minute equalizer kept Roma as the last Serie A unbeaten on the season, but they also remained second in the table thanks to their fourth consecutive draw.
Around Europe, Eredivisie action saw Aron Jóhannsson come up empty in AZ Alkmaar's 3-2 defeat away to cellar dwellers NEC Nijmegen.
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The No. 20 shirt squandered a pair of second half chances to level the score in what was a solid, if also frustrating 90-minute outing. The loss dropped AZ to sixth place, six points out of the top spot they held at the start of last month.
Next door in Belgium's Jupiler League, Sacha Kljestan and fourth place Anderlecht stayed within six points of the penthouse with a last-gasp 2-1 win over guests Cercle Brugge. The former Chivas USA man nearly scored when he whistled a free kick just past the frame midway through the first half.
Switching focus to the Bundesliga, Hannover 96 skipper Steve Cherundolo made his season debut with a stoppage time cameo in their 2-0 victory over visiting Eintracht Frankfurt. The Reds posted their first win in nine games to reach ninth place.
To the north in Denmark, Conor O'Brien came on for the final quarter hour as Odense BK topped visiting AGF Aarhus 4-1. Winning for the first time in five, OB rose to fifth place.
Over in England's Premier League, Brad Friedel served as back-up netminder in Tottenham's 2-2 home draw with Manchester United. Now winless in four, Tottenham ended the round down two places in ninth.
Finally, in Austria, Terrence Boyd went unused in Rapid Vienna's 2-0 home win over Wacker Innsbruck. The Green-Whites won for the third time in four to stay within seven points of the league lead.
