WASHINGTON, DC (May 11, 2008) USSoccerPlayers -- Fulham won Relegation Sunday, keeping their place in the Premier League on goal differential at the expense of Reading and Birmingham City on the last day of the Premier League season. This was also the end of the Portuguese and Belgian seasons.
ENGLAND
Premier League
Portsmouth 0 - Fulham 1
Cometh the hour, and Fulham's men stepped up to take a 1-0 win and avoid relegation on the last day of the season. Danny Murphy joined last year's hero Clint Dempsey in saving Fulham's place in the Premier League with a 76th minute goal. Kasey Keller pitched one of the biggest shutouts of his career, with Dempsey and Brian McBride also starting for Fulham. Dempsey was subbed out four minutes before the deciding goal. Fulham's run to avoid relegation goes down as one of the best in Premier League history, including three away wins in a row. "I've often been quite saddened that I could not wave the magic wand and transform the club from a bottom three club to a top six club," said manager Roy Hodgson. "But I feel a lot of satisfaction today." Carlos Bocanegra was on the bench for Fulham. Eddie Johnson wasn't in the squad.
Derby County 0 - Reading 4
With no real chance of closing on goal differential with Fulham, Reading would have needed to double the score line to stay in the Premier League without help. They didn't get it. Fulham's win made this result irrelevant in the standings, sending Reading down in 18th place with 36 points.
"There's no comfort in words at the moment," said Reading manager Steve Coppell. "It's just a numb feeling. I think we've brought some good stuff to the Premiership. It's just a shame it has ended this way." Marcus Hahnemann started for Reading and Eddie Lewis started for Derby County. Benny Feilhaber entered to start the second half for Derby. Bobby Convey wasn't in the squad.
Birmingham City 4 - Blackburn 1
Birmingham played one of their best games of the season but it ended up being irrelevant. With Reading and Fulham also winning, Birmingham were relegated regardless of their result. That it ended up being a three goal win over Brad Friedel's Blackburn Rovers notwithstanding. With Aston Villa drawing against West Ham, Blackburn could have taken 6th place with a win. Instead, they finish in 7th. "We had an opportunity to get the job done and we didn't, that's the galling thing," said manager Mark Hughes.
Everton 3 - Newcastle United 1
After seeming like they were trying everything not to keep fifth place as the season came to an end, Tim Howard's Everton will play in Europe next season. Newcastle's loan goal came from a Michael Owen penalty to make it 1-1 just after halftime, with Everton using a penalty of their own to seal it with their third goal in the 82nd. "We deserved to finish fifth," said manager David Moyes. "We have been in the top five since the new year and we finished on a good note."
Jonathan Spector wasn't in the squad for West Ham's 2-2 draw with Aston Villa, good for 10th place finish. Johann Smith wasn't part of the title decider, with his Bolton drawing 1-1 with Chelsea to hand Manchester United the title on points.
The Championship
Watford 0 - Hull 2
Jay DeMerit came on as a 61st minute substitute as Watford lost the first leg of their promotion semifinal with Hull. Watford will have to get over not having a 4th minute lead , playing the final thirty a man down, and having another goal disallowed late, all decisions that management wasn't exactly feeling. "It's a difficult job as we know," said manager Aidy Boothroyd. "There is a respect issue and also there's a respect from the powers that be that we can get people who can cope. I'm not so sure that has happened today."
GERMANY
Bundesliga
Werder Bremen 6 - Hannover 96 1
Steve Cherundolo and the Hannover defense had no answers against Werder Bremen, who beat them soundly to stay second with a game left in the Bundesliga season. Hannover can finish no hire than their current 8th place, or as low as 11th.
Preston Zimmerman's Hamburg lost 2-0 to Energie Cottbus and can now finish no higher than fourth. Brian Arguez was on the bench for Hertha Berlin's 1-0 win over Nurnberg, now only able to move up a spot to eighth. Kamani Hill wasn't in the squad for Wolfsburg's 4-0 win over VfB Stuttgart, now stuck on 51 points with three other clubs all looking to take 4th. Heath Pearce was on the bench for Hansa Rostock's 2-1 loss to Bayer Leverkusen, officially relegating them.
Bundesliga 2
TSV 1860 Munich 1 - VfL Osnabruck 1
Josh Wolff for 1860 and Joey Enochs for Osnabruck both got starts, and both were also subbed out before halftime. Wolff exited at the half, while Enochs was substituted in the 36th minute. Gregg Berhalter was on the bench for 1860. With the season ending next week, 1860 can finish no higher than 9th, and Osnabruck can finish no higher than 11th.
FC Koln 2 - Mainz 0
With both clubs pushing for promotion, Koln got the points and Mainz goes into the final game of the season still in a position to move from fourth to third. Neven Subotic started for FSV Mainz.
Josh Grenier missed Koblenz's 2-2 draw with FC Erzgebirge Aue. Though Koblenz are in 8th place, they will have eight points taken off at the end of the season as punishment for signing irregularities. That meant, regardless of the standings, Koblenz was actually facing relegation. Not anymore. With one game left, Koblenz are safe.
BELGIUM
Jupiter League
Genk 0 - Standard Liege 2
Oguchi Onyewu's Liege finished the season with one loss, wrapping up the championship a month ago.
HOLLAND
Eredivisie
Ajax 3 - Heerenveen 1
Michael Bradley's season came to and end on Monday when Heerenveen lost their Champions League playoff series to Ajax. A first half red card for Bradley meant what could be his last game for Heerenveen ended early.
Did Not Play: Freddy Adu missed Benfica's season ending win over Vitoria Setubal. Andrew Jacobson remains out for FC Lorient, 2-1 winners over Metz. Danny Szetela missed Brescia's 4-0 loss to Ascoli.
