AMSTERDAM – Tim Howard and Everton won their fourth Premier League game in a row on Tuesday, rising to fifth place with a 3-0 victory at Newcastle.
In addition to three saves and two cross captures, the US netminder provided plenty of helpful distribution. Howard logged both his 11th shutout of the season and his first away win since December. The result also cut Everton's deficit on the last Champions League spot to six points, with the Toffees holding a game in hand on fourth-place Arsenal.
Turning to the English second flight, Oguchi Onyewu put in a strong showing as Sheffield Wednesday rose to 13th place with a last-minute 1-0 triumph over visiting Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Owls center back rang up a game-best nine pass interceptions to go with four tackles. Wednesday, who have allowed just seven goals in Onyewu's 11 starts, won for the third time in four.
Elsewhere, Tim Ream returned to left back as Bolton moved 12 points clear of the drop zone with a 1-0 home victory over derby rivals Blackpool. The St. Louis native was solid in the passing game and added three tackles as 17th-place Wanderers won for the first time in four games.
Birmingham City handyman Jonathan Spector pulled double duty in a 3-2 road win over Millwall. With the veteran working half the game in midfield and the other half at right back, the Brums snapped a five-match win drought to give themselves an eight-point safety cushion in 19th place.
Back from a Yeovil Town loan spell, Duane Holmes made a five-minute cameo in Huddersfield Town's 2-2 home draw against Middlesbrough. Though winless in five, the Terriers held firm in 16th place.
Derby County loan defender Zak Whitbread watched from the bench as the visitors suffered a late collapse to fall 2-1 at Ipswich Town.
Over in the Bundesliga, Hertha Berlin defender John Anthony Brooks worked a hot-and-cold shift as visiting Bayern Munich clinched the title with a 3-1 decision.
The World Cup hopeful was excellent with the ball and logged a game-high seven clearances. However, he also was among the culpable on Bayern's sixth-minute opener and lost scorer Mario Götze just before the quarter-hour. Ninth place Hertha lost for the third straight time.
One flight below, Alfredo Morales set up the capper as Ingolstadt halted a four-game winless slide by blanking Bochum 3-0.
The American capitalized quickly on a turnover to notch his second assist in March with 11 minutes left. The result lifted Ingolstadt two rungs to 11th, eight points above the relegation mire.
