AMSTERDAM – AMSTERDAM – Everton's Tim Howard saw his Premier league shutout streak snapped at 371 minutes on Sunday, but still extended his unbeaten run to eight games in a 1-1 draw away to tabletop Arsenal.
The US star registered four saves, in addition to showing great command of his area. Thanks a terrific equalizer by Gerard Deulofeu six minutes from time, the fifth place Toffees pulled to within two points of second.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa suffered a 2-0 defeat at Fulham despite a star showing from netminder Brad Guzan. The former Chivas USA backstop started early with an eighth minute dazzler to deny Dimitar Berbatov, going on to ring up six saves and several key rushes off his line. In dealing Guzan his first loss since October, Fulham kept the Villans locked in 10th place.
Switching focus to the Bundesliga, John Anthony Brooks returned to the Hertha Berlin line-up with a full shift in their 2-0 home win over Eintracht Frankfurt. By posting back-to-back top flight victories for the first time since 2010, The Old Lady climbed to seventh place.
Over in Serie A, Michael Bradley was a last-minute sub as AS Roma topped visiting Fiorentina 2-0. The unbeaten Giallorossi snapped a run of five draws to remain three points back of leaders Juventus.
Turning to Austria, Terrence Boyd worked the final seven minutes as sudden strugglers Rapid Vienna blew a second half lead to fall 2-1 at RZ Pellets WAC. With consecutive league losses for the first time since August, the Green-Whites slipped a rung to third place.
