With a break pushing upwards of a month for many domestic leagues on the European continent, this was the busiest weekend of late with the Netherlands, Germany and Turkey returning to action. While there were no real standout performance to make note of, many of the required Canadians overseas made appearances for their club sides over the last few days.
England is a country where no break is needed and a few Canucks are in good positions, both in terms of playing time, as well as in the table. Simeon Jackson, however, is a name that of late has been bandied around as someone who might be on the move in the near future. Having seen limited time this season at Norwich City, and his contract coming to an end this year, it will be interesting to see if the Canaries are able to sell him, to perhaps a Championship side looking to improve their striking options in the promotion hunt. Wolverhampton is one possible destination that has been rumoured to have interst in him and it might be wise to get something now instead of nothing in a few more months.
Below the Premiership, David Edgar was back punching in a full ninety minutes and Burnley defeated Millwall 2-0 and now find themselves on the periphery of the promotion zone. Sitting seventh, just four points behind Watford, they need to continue a good run of form that has seen them win their last four of five. Iain Hume as well has been looking good with Doncaster, and although he did not see minutes this weekend in a 2-0 win over Leyton Orient, the win has kept the Rovers tied for first place and automatic promotion up to the Championship.
In Turkey
It’s been a busy week since the Super Lig returned to action after a brief winter break. In less than seven days, Milan Borjan’s Sivasspor played three games, two of which were in the late stages of the Turkish Cup. The final phase of the tournament is a group stage with eight teams split into Group A and B. Sivasspor are in with Fenerbahce, Bursaspor and 1461 Trabzon. The top two teams from each group will then go into a knockout round to lead towards the finals.
Already having lost 2-0 to Fenerbahce prior to the break, Sivasspor came back strong last Sunday defeating Bursaspor 2-1. Mid-week they traveled to Trabzon to take on 1461 Trabzon, where they were in the dying seconds of coming away with a critical win, only to let a goal in off a corner kick to finish with a 1-1 draw. Sivasspor currently sit second with four points, one point ahead of Bursaspor. The tournament is important for Sivasspor’s season as getting to the finals and lifting the cup is an automatic birth into the Europa League.
Even with a busy schedule, Borjan has stayed between the sticks each match, and Saturday he did well to keep a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw with Gaziantepspor. Looking ahead, Sivasspor will be hosting 1461 Trabzon Wednesday and a result is crucial for them to stay in second place in the group.
In Netherlands
It has been the story of PSV over the last two years that when opportunities present themselves to take out weaker opposition and make some space between them and their competition, they have a howler that sets them back and keeps things level. Hutchinson as often is the case, started at right back and went the full ninety as PSV were embarrassed at home against 13th placed PEC Zwolle. The Eindoven club lost a chance to leapfrog FC Twente who drew, and now they sit tied for second with Ajax who are the hottest team right now in the Netherlands.
Issey Nakajima-Farran levels the score for his new team he has been loaned to in Cyprus, Alki, as they draw 1-1:
Milan Borjan stays busy and Sivasspor are unfortunate not to come away with the win in a 0-0 draw:
Midweek Sivasspor again should have left with all three points in the Turkish Cup but a last second goal finished it at 1-1:
Here's how the rest of Canada's Internationals did Across the Pond:
Issey Nakajima-Farran – Alki (CPR – D1):
Sunday, January 20, played all 90 minutes and scored A GOAL in a 1-1 draw with Enosis..
Mike Klukowski – APOEL (CPR – D1):
Saturday, January 19, did not play in a 1-1 dra with Omonia Nicosia.
Simeon Jackson – Norwich City (ENG - D1):
Saturday, January 19, did not play in a 5-0 loss to Liverpool.
David Edgar – Burnley (ENG - D2):
Saturday, January 19, played all 90 minutes in a 2-0 victory over Millwall.
Iain Hume – Doncaster Rovers (ENG – D3):
Saturday, January 19, did not play in a 2-0 victory over Leyton Orient.
Marcus Haber – Stevenage (ENG – D3):
Saturday, January 19, match postponed vs. Bury.
Haidar Al-Shaibani – Nimes (FRA - D2):
Friday, January 18, did not play in a 3-0 victory over Clermont.
Olivier Occean – Eintracht Frankfurt (GER - D1):
Saturday, January 19, subbed in at the 62nd minute in a 3-1 loss to Bayer Leverkusen.
Rob Friend – Eintracht Frankfurt (GER - D1):
Saturday, January 19, did not play in a 3-1 loss to Bayer Leverkusen.
Marcel De Jong – FC Augsburg (GER - D1):
Sunday, January 20, subbed in at the 81st minute in a 3-2 victory over Fortuna Dusseldorf.
Kevin McKenna – FC Koln (GER – B2):
Next match, February 2 v Erzgebirge Aue.
Randy Edwini-Bonsu – Eintracht Braunschweiger (GER - D2):
Next match, February 2 v Paderborn.
Adam Straith – Saarbrucken (GER - D3):
Next match, January 26 v Alemannia Aachen.
Tomer Chencinski – Maccabi Tel Aviv (ISR – D1):
Monday, January 14, did not play in a 5-0 victory over Hapoel Be’er Sheva.
Saturday, January 19, did not play in a 1-0 loss to Ashdod.
Atiba Hutchinson – PSV Eindoven (NED - D1):
Friday, January 18, played all 90 minutes in a 3-1 loss to PEC Zwolle.
Jordan Santiago – Veendam (NED – D2):
Thursday, January 17, match postponed v Go Ahead Eagles.
Pedro Pacheco – Santa Clara (POR – D2):
Sunday, January 20, subbed in at the 45th minute in a 0-0 draw with Belenenses.
Andre Hainault – Ross County (SCO – D1):
Saturday, January 19, did not play in a 4-1 victory over St. Mirren.
Stefan Cebara – NK Celje (SLV – D1):
Next match, March 1, 2013 v Gorica.
Milan Borjan – Sivasspor (TUR – D1):
Wednesday, January 16, played all 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw with 1461 Trabzon.
Saturday, January 19, played all 90 minutes and kept a CLEAN SHEET in a 0-0 draw with Gaziantepspor.
|