AMSTERDAM – Molde FK backstop Ethan Horvath made six saves look easy to do compatriot Bob Bradley a solid on Sunday, shutting out Tippeligaen leaders Rosenborg for a 1-0 home victory.
The United States Olympic team candidate added a pair of commanding punches in running his league win streak to three games. A 90th minute Horvath save on Tobias Mikkelsen's drive pulled Molde, who will play a game in hand on Wednesday, to within seven points of the last Europa league ticket. The result also kept Bradley's second-place Stabæk eight points behind Rosenborg.
Over in Ligue 1, Alejandro Bedoya worked an underwhelming 78-minute shift as slumping Nantes fell 2-0 at Saint-Étienne.
The US midfielder passed fairly well, but only completed three positive passes in the final attacking third as the Canaries were blanked for the third straight time and fourth time in the last five games. Bedoya also had a 49th-minute doorstep chance blocked and notched two tackles in the defensive end.
Turning to Sweden's Allsvenskan, Matt Pyzdrowski and Helsingborg came up on the short end of a 2-1 result at Gefle.
The best of the netminder's four stops came nine minutes in, when he robbed Johan Bertilsson. Due to their fourth straight defeat, the Reds slipped to eighth place.
German 2.Bundesliga action saw Bobby Wood repeatedly foiled on dangerous rushes as Union Berlin suffered a frustrating 2-1 home loss to Greuther Fürth.
The US attacker had a solid day, but was most dangerous in the first half. Wood was the victim of a last-ditch saving block in the 20th minute and deserved an assist when Union Berlin skipper Damir Kreilach could only shave the post from his fine set-up on the half-hour. With their first defeat in five, Union Berlin sit 13th in the standings.
Elsewhere, Shawn Barry nearly chalked up an assist during his sub shift for FSV Frankfurt in a 1-0 victory at Duisburg.
Not long after he entered in the 66th minute, the right winger's pinpoint cross led to a teammate buzzing the frame from a great position. FSV Frankfurt won for the third time in four to reach the better half of the table.
Greg Seltzer covers Americans playing in Europe for MLSsoccer.com.
