AMSTERDAM – Brad Guzan needed just two late saves to backstop unbeaten Aston Villa to a 2-1 win over Hull City on Sunday afternoon.
His first and biggest stop of the game came in the 79th minute, scant moments after the Tigers cut the hosts' lead in half by becoming the first club to put one past the former Chivas USA star this season. Hull's Jake Livermore lit a rocket from the edge of the area, but Guzan dove to claw hit out of his top corner and preserve the win. The new US No. 1 also saw yellow in stoppage time, his first booking since round three of last season.
Villa are now up to third place in the Premier League.
Around the league, Guzan's former Villa Park mentor Brad Friedel served as Tottenham back-up for a 3-0 home loss to Liverpool.
Over in Belgium's Jupiler League, Sacha Kljestan worked the final 26 minutes as holders Anderlecht settled for a 2-2 draw away to derby rivals Club Brugge. Despite squandering an early two-goal lead, the Mauves stayed three points ahead in first place.
Across the border in Germany's 2.Bundesliga, Ingolstadt midfielder Alfredo Morales continued his fine start to the season with a pair of assists in their 3-0 victory at Andrew Wooten's Sandhausen. Recently called up to the US national team for next week's friendly, Morales used some smart combo play to set up Stefan Lex for the opener after just seven minutes. After going into the ref's book early in the second half, Morales laid off for Lex's second of the game in the 79th minute to help cap the scoring. Now in second place and level on goal differential with leaders VfL Bochum, Ingolstadt are unbeaten in eight games, dating back to last season.
Wooten, meanwhile, worked a quiet first half before being removed at the break following a clashing heads with an opponent in the 43rd minute. Sandhausen remained next-to-bottom with but a single point from four games.
Elsewhere, another USMNT call up, Bobby Wood, picked up his second assist of the young season on 1860 Munich's 1-1 equalizer against visiting Darmstadt. The US winger knocked the ball down from an area scramble for Lions top gun Ruben Okotie to fire them level. However, Wood also spurned a pair of good chances, putting one over the bar and one directly into the arms of the Darmstadt netminder. Still winless on the season, 1860 managed to inch up to 16th place.
