It isn’t just the weather that turned cold this weekend, as for the second week in a row Canucks playing outside of North America struggled to have a significant impact, or be involved in any big games to note. After the second round of World Cup Qualifying, Canadians put out a series of excellent displays, with two weekends ago being one of the best in recent memory. As the mid-point of the season nears for many players, the long grind of a winter schedule is setting in.
Despite this, there still is one area to remain positive about and that is the list of players who are returning from injury appear to not have lost their spot, or role for their clubs. Both Marcel De Jong and Iain Hume made appearances, with De Jong getting the start and going a full ninety minutes as Augsburg got a much needed 1-0 victory over the surprise team in the Bundesliga, Rob Friend’s former club, Borrussia Monchengladbach.
Hume’s return to Preston North End will be welcomed by Phil Brown as he was an integral part of their fight to remain in the Championship and is a key attacker in their attempt to gain promotion. Preston North End began the season looking good as Hume was doing well and was integral in their fortunes, but the team has risen and fallen with his fitness and they sit comfortably mid-table in League One and will need a significant effort to get into the top six.
In Turkey
Hopefully it was not a sign of things to come, but Manisaspor suffered a setback this week as they took on a top club in Besiktas. At home, they would have liked to have done much better, but were unable to handle one of the big clubs from Istanbul and were defeated 4-1. As has been the case all season, Mike Klukowski went the full ninety and has bounced back nicely from a nightmare season in Ankaragucu, while Simpson continues to be the first choice up front, going over eighty minutes. Manisaspor have done well to demonstrate they are better than the mid-to-lower half of the table thus far, and had an outstanding draw with Fenerbahce in September, but if they are to keep pace atop the table they will need to find way to earn points against the traditional best teams in Turkey.
Milan Borjan is also worth noting for coming back after a difficult outing last weekend against Trabzonspor to help his side to a 2-1 victory over Orduspor. An own goal secured the win, and worth watching is the yellow card count as Borjan has shown this season to have a short temper and have no issues talking back to referees.
With three players of note in Turkey, they will finally be meeting head to head this Monday, December 12, as Manisaspor travel to Sivas. A win for Sivasspor and they will be catapulted up six places from twelfth to sixth, and on the flip side, should Manisaspor get all three points, they can find themselves tied for fourth and well within reach of the top clubs.
Milan Borjan makes some big saves as Sivasspor defeats
Orduspor 2-1:
Here's how the rest of Canada's Internationals fared across the pond:
Issey Nakajima-Farran – Brisbane Roar (AUS):
Friday, December 10, played 65 minutes in a 2-1 loss to Melbourne Heart.
Patrice Bernier – Lyngby (DEN):
On winter break – next match March 3, 2012 v Midtylland.
Simeon Jackson – Norwich City (ENG):
Saturday, December 10, subbed in at the 85th minute in a 4-2 victory over Newcastle United.
Ethan Gage – Reading (ENG):
Saturday, December 10, did not play in a 3-0 victory over West Ham United.
David Edgar – Burnley (ENG):
Saturday, December 10, played all 90 minutes in a 1-0 loss to Portsmouth.
Iain Hume – Preston North End (ENG):
Saturday, December 10, subbed in at the 46th minute in a 0-0 draw with Stevenage.
Jamie Peters – Bournemouth (ENG):
Saturday, December 10, did not play in a 5-3 victory over Barnsley.
Paul Peschisolido – Burton Albion (ENG):
Saturday, December 12, coached in a 3-0 loss to Crawley Town.
Gavin McCallum – Barnet (ENG):
Friday, December 9, subbed in at the 82nd minute in a 1-0 loss to Torquay United.
Haidar Al-Shaibani – Nimes (FRA):
Friday, December 9, did not play in a 1-1 draw with Beauvais.
Kevin McKenna – FC Koln (GER):
Saturday, December 10, did not play in a 4-0 victory over Freiburg.
Marcel De Jong – FC Augsburg (GER):
Saturday, December 10, played all 90 minutes in a 1-0 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach.
Rob Friend – Eintracht Frankfurt (GER):
Next match, Monday December 12 v Greuther Furth.
Adam Straith – Energie Cottbus (GER):
Sunday, December 11, subbed in at the 75th minute in a 2-1 loss to Dynamo Dresden.
Olivier Occean – Greuther Furth (GER):
Next match, Monday December 12 v Eintracht Frankfurt.
Nik Ledgerwood – Wehen Wiesbaden (GER):
Saturday, December 10, played all 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw with Stuttgart II.
Jonathan Beaulieu-Bourgault – Preuben Munster (GER):
Sunday, December 11, did not play in a 2-2 draw with Chemnitzer FC.
Julian Uccello – Crotone (ITA):
Saturday, December 10, did not play in a 2-0 victory over Nocerina.
Atiba Hutchinson – PSV Eindoven (NED):
Saturday, December 10, did not play in a 1-0 victory over Nac Breda.
Andrew Ornoch – Telstar (NED):
Friday, December 9, did not play in a 3-1 loss to Oss.
Tosaint Ricketts – Timisoara (ROM):
Thursday, December 8, played all 90 minutes in a 1-0 loss to Gaz Metan Medias in Cup play.
Marcus Haber – St. Johnstone (SCO):
Saturday, December 10, played all 90 minutes in a 3-0 loss to Motherwall.
Daniel Imhof – St. Gallen (SWI):
Sunday, December 11, played all 90 minutes in a 1-0 victory over Bellinzona.
Mike Klukowski – Manisaspor (TUR):
Thursday, December 8, played all 90 minutes in a 4-1 loss to Besiktas.
Josh Simpson – Manisaspor (TUR):
Thursday, December 8, played 81 minutes in a 4-1 loss to Besiktas.
Milan Borjan – Sivasspor (TUR):
Thursday, December 8, played all 90 minutes in a 2-1 victory over Orduspor.
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