Dutch Soccer Scoreboard: PSV Beats Rival Ajax Amsterdam 3-1

Greetings to those of you checking out our blog in Denmark and Italy.

Even though it is very early in the season the two most storied franchises in Dutch soccer history played over the weekend (we were hoping the most would be on ESPN3, oh well!) as PSV Eindhoven beat out defending champs Ajax Amsterdam 3-1 thanks to the go ahead goal from Dutch national Luciano Narsingh (pictured top).

Den Haag, a team in Holland's other capital The Hague which is captained by Roland Alberg (pictured center) had a rousing 3-0 victory over Groningen with two goals from Micheil Kramer in the waning minutes of regulation time.

Finally, Rodney Antwi (pictured bottom) scored in the winning goal of the 72nd minute to lead road side Utrecht to a 2-1 win over Feyenoord, and, it was a disastrous weekend for American star Jozy Altidore's former team AZ Alkmaar as they fell to Willem II 3-0. Altidore now plays soccer in England.

Here are the scores from weekend play in the Eredivise:

1) Ajax 1 PSV 3

2) Den Haag 3 Groningen 0

3) Feyenoord 1 Utrecht 2

4) Zwolle 2 Vitesse 1

5) Breda 1 Twente 1, tie

6) Go Ahead Eagles 0 Dordecht 0, tie

7) Heracles 0 Cambuur 1

8) Heerenveen 2 Excelsior (Rotterdam) 0

9) Willem II 3 AZ Alkmaar 0

Soocer Week (8 of 8): Good Day for Swansea City (plus 11 European teams you've never heard of)

Today, our image is of Wilfried Bony, an Ivory Coast teammate of one of our favorite soccer players Didier Drogba, formerly of Chelsea who now plays for GalataSaray (Istanbul, Turkey). Today, Bony scored one of Swansea City's three goals in their 3-0 victory over Valencia on the road in Spain.

Swansea City is a Welsh team that plays in the English Premiere League as does Cardiff.

Today, a staggering 24 games were played across Europe, which in soccer also includes Israel and Kazakhstan, two countries which are clearly in Asia (but, hey the Dallas Cowboys play in an 'eastern conference' in the 'other football.')

Here is a look at 11 teams you may have never heard of:

1) Austria Wien (Austria): This team based in Vienna is playing in the UEFA Champions League. Though they lost at home this week to Porto (Portugal), one can continue to expect good things from them.

2. Swansea (EPL)

3. Freiburg (Germany): This Bundesliga club held their own today at home in a 2-2 tie with Liberec (Czech Rep.); Swiss national Admir Mehmedi scored for the home team.

4. Plzen (Czech Rep.) Though this team lost to Manchester City 3-0 in the Champions League two days ago; Plzen are one of several competitive teams in a small, but soccer-worthy country.

5. Shakhter Karagandy (Kazakhstan): Though this team created a scandal when they sacrificed a sheep before their match with Celtic United in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, they do have an array of talented players including Roger Canas, a Colombian player, who scored for Karagandy in the team's 2-1 loss to PAOK (Greece).

6. PAOK (Greece): They are a team with lots of long last names, and one of the most successful Greek clubs. In their 2-1 win over Karagndy, Zvonimir Vukic of Serbia scored the winning goal.

7, Tromso Il (Norway): This team plays all the way up in the Arctic Circle! Though they went scoreless today in London with a 3-0 defeat to Tottenham; this squad will likely be competing strongly in Norwegian domestic play.

8. AZ Alkmaar (Netherlands): Though American star Jozy Altidore to Tottenham, the team still has a great Icelandic futboler in Johan Gudmundsson who scored the team's lone goal in a 1-0 over M.Haifa in Israel today.

9. Legia Warsaw (Poland)

10. Steau Bucharest (Romania): Alas, this Romanian team did not fare well in Germany in the Champions League with a 3-0 loss to Schalke '04, but hey they are in the Champions League.

11. Elfsborg (Sweden): Not to be confused with Esberg in Denmark; both teams are in the Europa League. Though with a 4-0 loss to Salzburg in Austria, it appears Esberg which won its game 2-1 over Standard Liege in Belgium had a happier flight back home.

We were going to make fun of Iranian soccer, but it's almost midnight here at the sports desk in Portland, Maine (not really where we are at), so we'll save that for another time!

http://www.greeksoccer.com

http://www.az.nl/en

http://www.swanseacity.net

Quote of the Day- Jurgen Klinsmann

Today, we continue to quote famous Germans as we quote German soccer legend Jurgen Klinsmann, who is now the head coach of the United States national team which beat Slovenia 3-2 in a foggy, messy game in Slovenia with goals from Edson Buddle, Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore.

Like Franz Beckenbauer before him, Klinsmann is among the German soccer great who have played for Bayern Munich as he was with the team from 1995-97. While playing for Bayern Munich, Klinsmann and his teammates won the UEFA Cup in 1996.

Klinsmann also helped a new united Germany win a World Cup in 1990. He also played soccer for VB Stuggart (Germany), Inter Milan (Italy), Monaco (France) and Tottenham (England).

Here is his quote:

"If the national coach lets decisions be made from the outside, he's lost the team."