Saturday LIVE

Things will be popping off all over the place today, so I'm gonna fade in and out periodically with updates on this post. There are too many big events to list right off, but I'll try to get you ready for the major kickoffs (such as the simultaneous Standard/Anderlecht tricky final day road trips tonight).

I will use an CT timestamp on these updates and denote final scores in Buffalo Tom style (in other words, it'll be a Big Red Number Day).

5.54 AM - We will start off early with Mo Edu's Rangers trying to put the pressure back on Celtic with Aberdeen in town and ManU v Arsenal, with the Red Devils needing only a draw to clinch the title at home (and rub it in Gooner faces, don't forget). Both of these games will kick off in just under an hour.

To quickly catch you up on last night's happenings: Reading announced they will, as Sean teased the other day, allow Marcus Hahnemann to run out of contract... Charles Kazlauskas played his last game with TOP Oss, a 1-0 playoff loss at Dordrecht that saw the underdogs ousted on a 3-0 aggregate... Ryan Guy and St. Pat's were on the verge of a needed win when Sligo Rovers grabbed a late 2-2 equalizer... with Jemal Johnson (who just received an extension offer following some Championship interest) not dressed, MK Dons bowed out of the promotion playoffs to visiting Scunthorpe on penalties.

7.37 AM - Both Rangers and Man United have gone to the break in scoreless home games.

Today's penultimate round of Bundesliga madness kicks off in less than an hour. Here are the main match-ups of concern: Bayer Leverkusen v Michael Bradley's 'Gladbach (a win could clinch survival), Hannover 96 (perhaps with Sal Zizzo) v first place Wolfsburg (63 pts, +30 goal differntial), Hertha Berlin (62 pts, +11) v Schalke, Hoffenheim v Bayern Munich (63 pts, +28), Stuttgart (61 pts., +19) v Energie Cottbus.

7.51 AM - Past the hour now at Ibrox and still scoreless with each team down to 10 men. Edu is having another good day, but Rangers still await the breakthrough. Oh... and guess who came on for Mendes to partner the U.S. international: none other than Barry Ferguson.

7.59 AM - Rangers have hit twice in a three-minute span to go up 2-0. First an Aberdeen own goal, then a Kenny Miller header. Of course, we won't find out if Celtic can hold serve until tomorrow. ManU-Arsenal is still 0-0.

8.43 AM - One quick trip to market later, Manchester United have three-peated as English champs with a 0-0 Arsenal draw and Rangers have moved three points ahead of Celtic, but a late Aberdeen goal that made the final 2-1 means the Light Blues still trail their rivals by one in goal differential.



In Germany, Edin Džeko and Franck Ribéry have, respectively, Wolfsburg and Bayern off to 1-0 leads around the quarter hour mark. Meanwhile, the rest of the Prem card is set to kick off, with Clint Dempsey and Europa League chasers Fulham visiting desperate survivalists Newcastle our featured contest there.

9.05 AM - Just after Stuttgart grabbed a lead through Thomas Hitzlsperger, Hoffenheim connected twice inside of nine minutes to lead Bayern 2-1. Almost directly following that episode, Grafite doubled Wolfsburg's lead and Stefan Kießling fired Bayer to a 1-0 edge on 'Gladbach.

9.42 AM - Just before the break, Bayern evened their match at twos through Luca Toni. All of the Bundesliga games are now underway in the second half.

Meanwhile in the Prem, all remaining games are on the the edge of halftime. Fulham lead (Kamara - 41st minute), Spurs lead Man City (Defoe), Everton (Saha) are tied with 10-man West Ham (Kovac), Boro (Tuncay) leads Aston Villa and Bolton (Steinsson) is in front of Hull.

10.29 AM - First, let me sum up the Bundesliga situation, then I'll turn to the Prem. These are all finals: Leverkusen 5 - 0 'Gladbach, Hannover 96 0 - 5 Wolfsburg, Hertha 0 - 0 Schalke, Hoffenheim 2 - 2 Bayern, Stuttgart 2 - 0 Cottbus.

All of which means: despite the beating, 'Gladbach are three points and four goals clear of the drop zone with one game to play (Borussia Dortmund at home)... at the top, Wolfsburg can all but secure the title with a draw in their last game, with Bayern and Stuttgart clinging to slim hopes two points back.

10.37 AM - Now to the Prem, with about 10-12 minutes left everywhere: Bolton 1 - 1 Hull (Fagan), Everton (Yobo, Saha again) 3 - 1 West Ham, Boro 1 - 1 Aston Villa (Carew), Newcastle 0 - 1 Fulham, Stoke (Fuller, Beattie) 2 - 0 Wigan Athletic, Spurs 1 - 1 Man City (Bojinov).

10.56 AM - In Norway's top flight, a Troy Perkins highlight reel save with two minutes to play helped Vålerenga climb to sixth with a 2-1 win over Fredrikstad and IK Start nudged into second by rallying late for a 1-1 draw at Brann with both Hunter Freeman and Clarence Goodson going the full route.

11.09 AM - All Prem games are final, with Robbie Keane's 86th minute PK giving Spurs a big 2-1 win over Citeh. So with two matches left, Fulham holds the final Europa League place with Spurs/West Ham two points back and Man City three behind. The Cottagers also hold a superior goal differential to the first two chasers. Also, Newcastle slipped into the drop zone, a point behind Hull - who must finish against Man United.

11.24 AM - Time for a break, I'll be back for the start of matches involving Standard and Anderlecht, which kick off in about 95 minutes.

12.17 PM - Quick pop-in time: Joe Lapira has scored to put second place Nybergsund back up, 2-1 at Ham-Kam. The visitors' opener also was set-up by the former Notre Dame ace, whose long blast was saved into the path of a teammate.

12.58 PM - With Standard and Anderlecht set to go in their respective matches, Belgian outlet Sport offers up a special double matchtracker. As is customary, Oguchi Onyewu starts in the heart of defense for the defending champs.

Meanwhile in France, second place (on goal differential) Bordeaux scored twice in the final six minutes of the first half to go up 2-1 on visiting Le Mans. Elsewhere, fifth place Toulouse - who hold the final Europa League place two points and spots ahead of Carlos Bocanegra's Rennes - are trailing 1-0 at Saint-Etienne at the break.

And in Norway, Nybergsund completed a 3-1 win to remain two points shy of the Norwegian second flight tabletop.

1.25 PM - Midway through the opening frames and we have yet to see a goal in either Belgium title tilt. Meanwhile, Le Mans have equalized at Bordeaux and Toulouse have leveled at Saint-Etienne.

1.42 PM - With about 15 to go in Ligue 1 games, Bordeaux has reclaimed the lead 3-2 and Saint-Etienne is back up on Toulouse 2-1. No score in Standard/Anderlecht as they each head toward the interval.

MLS action kicks off in less than 90 minutes as Chicago visits Toronto FC in what should be a barnburner. Speaking of the Fire, dig this: Mr. White called up by Mexico for the nest two WCQ's.

1.53 PM - Six minutes before the break, hot transfer topic Mbark Boussoufa put Anderlecht ahead 1-0... and a minute before halftime at Gent, Axel Witsel converted from the spot to give Standard an identical lead. Both matches have gone to halftime

1.58 PM - Bordeaux held on to win 3-2, giving them a tentative three-point title edge on Marseille (who host Lyon tomorrow). Also, Toulouse ace André-Pierre Gignac stretched his Ligue 1 Golden Boot lead to five with an 89th minute 2-2 equalizer at Saint-Etienne, which means Rennes can go level on points with them if they defeat lowly Nantes tomorrow.

2.05 PM - Forgot to mention: Club Brugge lead Mouscron 3-1 at halftime, so we can reasonably cross our fingers for a Jared Jeffrey league debut. I'll keep an eye to that as the final halves of Jupiler League regular season ball start up across Belgium.

2.09 PM - Over to Serie A: an AC Milan loss gives house rivals Inter the title, and they now trail 1-0 at Udinese (D'Agostino PK) heading toward intermission.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid need a win at Villarreal to avoid handing the La Liga crown to Barcelona. That game begins in about 45 minutes.

2.20 PM - Poland right back Marcin Wasilewski has given Anderlecht a 2-0 cushion. Elsewhere, Club Brugge made wholesale changes at the hour, with Jeffrey remaining on the bench.

2.43 PM - Standard have reached the final 10 with a 1-0 lead. Meanwhile, Udinese doubled their lead on AC Milan just after halftime.

2.53 PM - We're on to added time in the Standard/Anderlecht games...

2.57 PM - Club Brugge have won 4-1, meaning Gent will fall to fourth at the finish (forcing a Europa League entrance one qualifying round earlier) if they can't level with Standard.

3.00 PM - It's all over at Gent and Standard (1-0 winners) have finished the season square on both points and wins with arch rivals Anderlecht (2-0). This win was not without massive drama at the end; Gooch's foul gave Gent a deep stoppage time penalty, which netminder Bojan Jorgacevic stopped off the foot of Costa Rica winger Bryan Ruiz. Whew, that was close!!!

Anderlecht hosts the first leg of the championship bout on Thursday, with the Sclessin return set for Sunday.

3.21 PM - Robert Pires has Villarreal up on Real after 17 minutes. Elsewhere, Milan have pulled one back near time, but it will surely be too little and too late.

3.30 PM - AC Milan have lost 2-1 to Udinese, so Inter are again Serie A champs.

4.38 PM - Rafi van der Vaart got Real level after the break, but a Cani goal restored Villarreal to the lead at 2-1. If the Yellow Subs hold on for 20 more minutes, Barcelona will becaome the third crowned champs of the day.

Also, Chicago leads 1-0 with about 15 to play thanks to a Chris Rolfe strike near the hour.

5.03 - Real tied it up with two minutes left, then surrendered a Capdevila goal on a Casillas gaffe in stoppage time to lose 3-2, giving Barcelona the La Liga title.

Meanwhile, Brian McBride scored late to pad a 2-0 Chicago win over Toronto FC. Yes, that's right... a Fire victory.

I'm out for the day, folks. Enjoy your American evening.


- Greg Seltzer