Kenneth Perez scored five goals this term as his FC Twente side won their first ever Eredivisie title under the guidance of Steve McClaren. The Dane featured as Twente ensured their status as champions by recording a 2-0 away win at Nac Breda. Any slip up by McClaren`s men would have handed the title to Ajax, who beat Nec Nijmegen 4-1. It has been a remarkable season for the Enschede side, who have done what nobody expected them to do. And the former English manager was in buoyant mood whilst celebrating their title success “People say to achieve this with Twente is a miracle, but it`s more than a miracle”.

 For Ajax and their Danish Duo, Christian Eriksen and Dennis Rommedahl, they must now forget their title defeat and hope they can win the Dutch cup final on Thursday. They will carry a 2-0 lead into the second leg against Feyenoord and few would bet against them winning the silverware.

Peter Lovenkrands scored the only goal as champions Newcastle United celebrated a 1-0 win away at QPR , in their final game in the Championship. The win was the Magpies 30th of an impressive campaign that sees them return to the Premiership, with a total of 102 points. For Lovenkrands, it was his nineteenth league strike of the season.

 Mads Junker scored from the penalty spot as Roda Jc beat Willem 3-2 to book a place in the Europa League playoffs.The striker has notched 20 goals this term as he eyes a World Cup spot with Denmark.

Jon Dahl Tomasson got on the scoresheet as Feyenoord recorded a 6-2 home win over Heerenveen. Both Norwegian Christian Grindheim and Swede Viktor Elm scored for the visitors.

 Erik Nevland helped ensure Fulham`s 3-2 win over London rivals West Ham, by crossing the ball to Stefano Okaka Chuka for Fulham`s third. A number of the Cottagers stars were rested, following their amazing 2-1 recovery against Hamburg that saw them reach the Europa League final. Brede Hangeland was one such star, but both Bjorn Helge Riise and David Elm made appearances for Roy Hodgson`s men.

John Arne Riise`s Roma were knocked off top spot by Inter Milan on Sunday. The Giallorossi enjoyed a 2-1 away win at Parma on Saturday which had put them back on top, but Inter`s 2-0 win against Lazio was enough to make them leapfrog Claudio Ranieri`s men. Two games remain before the destination of the Scudetto will be revealed.

Sebastian Larsson played his part as Birmingham City recorded a 2-1 home win over relegated Burnley. The Swede crossed for Cameron Jerome who then saw his effort poked into his own net by Burnley keeper Brian Jensen. The win leaves Birmingham on course for their best finish in 51 years.

 Fredrik Stenman scored the third goal as Groningen recorded a 3-1 final day victory over Sparta Rotterdam in the Eredivisie.

Olof Mellberg opened the scoring for Olympiakos, who went on to record a 2-1 win over AEK Athens in the Greek Super League playoffs.

Faroe Islands goalkeeper Gunnar Nielsen was not selected as Man City hosted Aston Villa at Eastlands in a crucial tie in the race for fourth place. After Shay Given was ruled out for the rest of the season, it seemed Nielsen was set for duty, until Man City signed Martin Fulop on an emergency loan deal from Sunderland. City ran out 3-1 winners, after initially falling behind to a John Carew goal. The Norwegian also saw an effort hit the crossbar as Villa`s hopes of Champions League football for next season ended.

Gylfi Sigurdsson scored the third goal as Reading finished their season on a high, with a 4-1 home win over Preston North End. That took his tally to 20 goals for the season. This may well have been the Icelandic star`s last game in Berkshire with plenty of Premier League suitors set to battle it out for his signature this summer.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic put a seal on Barcelona`s victory over rock bottom Xerez at the Nou Camp. The Swedish striker scored the third goal in a 3-1 win as Barca remain top, but manager Pep Guardiola felt his team already had their minds on the Champions League semi final second leg against  Ibrahimovic`s former team, Inter Milan. Speaking of Wednesdays tie, Guardiola was as hungry as ever “ we have come from winning six titles and there is a sensation that if we don’t win both La Liga and the Champions League , that we have achieved nothing”.

Celtic secured a massive 2-0 away win at third placed Dundee United to secure Champions League football for next season. Thomas Rogne deputised at centre back, his first start since a hamstring injury in February and the Norwegian matched United`s attackers with some well timed tackles. While Celtic, who were without the suspended Morten Rasmussen, will be delighted at earning a Champions League berth for next year they will also feel terrible anguish on a day that Rangers won their second successive SPL title, something we knew was coming for a long time.

Erik Nevland opened the scoring as Europa League semi finalists Fulham visited Everton. But an own goal from Chris Smalling and a last minute penalty from Mikel Arteta ensured Everton recorded a 2-1 win over Roy Hodgson`s men.

John Arne Riise`s Roma side slipped off top spot in Serie A this weekend as they were undone by 4<sup>th</sup> placed Sampdoria. Giampaolo Pazzini`s brace severely dented the Norwegian and his team mates title credentials, as they now trail Inter Milan by two points with three games remaining.

Christian Eriksen and Dennis Rommedahl both made cameo substitution appearances as Ajax beat Feyenoord 2-0 in the first leg of the Dutch Cup Final. A quick brace from Siem De Jong, with goals in the 6 and 7^th minute, ensure Martin Jol`s men will take a comfortable advantage to Rotterdam.

Danish midfielder Martin Bergvold struck home the third goal as Livorno beat Catania 3-1 at home.

It was an awful weekend for Danish goalkeepers in the Premiership. Brian Jensen`s Burnley were condemned to relegation after a 4-0 reverse against Liverpool .

Thomas Sorensen suffered a dislocation of his elbow as Stoke lost 7-0 at Chelsea. The Dane was replaced by Asmir Begovic while the match was 2-0. The thrashing compounded his misery and he may know miss the World Cup. Stoke manager Tony Pulis hopes his33year old keeper doesn’t require surgery “He`s dislocated his elbow. We`re hoping they can pop it back in and he doesn’t need an operation. If he needs an operation he will struggle for the World Cup”.  

Kasper Schmeichel`s Notts County side remain top of League 2 despite a 2-1 defeat away to Port Vale. The defeat is manager Steve Cotterill`s first in charge since taken over 15 games ago yet the Magpies remain top as second placed Rochdale also suffered a 2-1 reverse, at the hands of Hereford.

Jussi Jaaskelainen saw Portsmouth comeback from the dead as they grinded out a 2-2 draw with his Bolton side. The Finn`s side were two goals to the good at half time.

Aron Gunnarsson earned Coventry City a 1-1 draw away to Middlesbrough, who are set for a second season in the Championship. The Icelandic international poked the ball home from close range after Stephen Wright`s original effort was thwarted by Boro keeper Brad Jones.

Heidar Helguson scored either side of Danny Graham`s brace as relegation threatened Watford crushed a recently resurgent Reading side 3-0 at Vicarage Road. The result ensures the Hornets safety heading into the last game of the season. The strike was Helguson`s eleventh of the season.

Celtic seemed to be heading for their second home defeat of the season at the hands of Hibernian, but two late goals changed that. Trailing 2-1 , the Hoops struck level through Marc Antoine Fortune before former Brondby striker Morten Rasmussen struck a late winner , three minutes from time. The Danish substitute stabbed home Fortune`s cross from the right to cue wild celebrations as Celtic more or less ensured Champions League football for next season. Caretaker manager Neil Lennon ran 30 yards to join in the celebrations at the death. Rasmussen was delighted with the team`s performance after the final whistle “ we fought for each other very much. You could see that at the end, we were one goal behind but we still fought on and came back to get the victory”.   

Leon Andreasen didn’t feature as a dominant Bayern Munich crucified his Hannover side, tearing them to pieces with a 7-0 exhibition of football.

Nicklas Bendnter and Arsenal seemed like they were cruising to a routine 2-0 win at Wigan before Ben Watson pulled a goal back for the Latics, leaving the Gunners in a rather uncomfortable position. Nobody could have predicted that Wigan would rally and bag two late late goals to sink the Danes side 3-2.

Dennis Rommedahl and Chrisitan Eriksen both played a part as Ajax thumped Heracles 4-0 at home to maintain pressure on FC Twente, who earned a 2-0 win over Feyenoord to stay one point clear of the Amsterdam giants at the top of the Eredivisie. The title will be decided next weekend when Twente travel to  Nec Breda , while Ajax travel to Nec Nijmegen.

Elsewhere in Holland, fellow Dane Mads Junker struck a brace as Roda Jc enjoyed a 5-2 away win at Vitesse Arnhem. The talented striker now has 20 goals for the season.  His compatriot Morten Skoubo, who is currently on loan from FC Utrecht, also got in on the scoring act.

Gylfi Sigurdsson scored two goals , including a penalty , as Reading trounced an already relegated  Peterborough United side 6-0 at the Madjeski stadium. The two strikes propel the Icelandic star onto 18 strikes for the season. A host of Premiership clubs will be vying for his signature this summer as he continues to turn in one excellent performance after another . He was also incorrectly booked for diving.

Eggert Jonsson received his marching orders after pushing Steven Naismith in the box as Hearts visited SPL champions to be Rangers. The Icelandic star was not only punished by the dismissal but also by the resulting penalty as the Jambo`s went down 2-0 at Ibrox.

In the battle of Scandinavian goalkeepers at the Britannia stadium, Jussi Jaaskelainen`s Bolton Wanderers grabbed two late goals to reverse a one nil deficit against Thomas Sorensen`s Stoke side. The win should stave off the relegation threat lingering over the Finn`s side.

Shefki Kuqi struck the second of Swansea`s three goals as they recorded a 3-1 home win over Barnsley. The Welsh side will need to continue such form in the playoffs to withstand a chance of reaching the pinnacle of English football, The Premiership. After the match Swans manager Paulo Sousa was full of praise for the Finn, despite him missing a sitter with an open goal to aim for. “He kept working hard and was always looking for a goal. Shefki is a player with a lot of personality and he brings that to the squad. We saw his character once again with the goal he scored”. 

John Carew was both the hero and villan as Aston Villa triumphed 2-1 away to already relegated Portsmouth. The Norwegian put the visiting side level after they had fallen behind early on. On the stroke of half time though, the former Rosenborg man missed a penalty, as Villa`s luck seemed out. However a late goal by Nathan Delfouneso ensured a 2-1 win and spared Carew`s blushes.

With four games remaining,John Arne Riise and Roma went back to the top of Serie A in style, beating fierce rivals Lazio 2-1 in the Rome derby. The Giallorossi fell behind early on and were lucky when keeper Julio Sergio saved a Lazio penalty to stop them going further behind. Serbian Mirko Vucinic lead the comeback for Roma, bagging two goals, one penalty and one exquisite free kick.  Riise and his team mates are now unbeaten in 23 matches and this crucuial win should prove the catalyst as they aim to take the coveted Scudetto title. The match was dogged by controversy from the very start, as fans of both sides engaged in ugly scenes of violence.

Morten Gamst Pedersen was harshly treated this weekend. Not only did the former Tromso man have to endure Mikel Arteta poking him in the eye, he also got booked for the matter, in which the referee failed to dismiss the Spaniard. A late goal saw Pedersen`s Blackburn Rovers side go down 3-2 at home to Everton.   

Andres Oper scored the third goal as ADO Den Haag put four goals past an already relegated RKC Waalwijk.

Both Christian Eriksen and Dennis Rommedahl made substitute appearances as Ajax crushed VVV Venlo 7-0 at the Amsterdam Arena. The win sees Martin Jol`s men remain four points behind Eredivisie leaders Fc Twente with three games remaining. The win also cements Ajax`s formidable home form this season, they remain unbeaten as they have won fifteen matches and drawn one.

Brian Jensen must have thought that Burnley were done for after going one goal behind, after only three minutes, in a crucial relegation six pointer away to Hull City. Fortunately for the Dane, the Clarets rallied back to earn a 4-1 win, scoring two penalties along the way. However they still remain in the relegation zone and deserve to slide back to the Championship.

Fellow compatriot Peter Lovenkrands is a man heading in the opposite direction as his Newcastle United side, relegated from the Premiership last term, bounced straight back at the first time of asking. The Geordies acquired a 4-1 win over Blackpool to inch them ever closer to the title. Jonas Olsson and West Brom will also be back in the top flight after securing a 3-2 win away to Doncaster Rovers, however the Swede and his team mates are still pushing the Geordies for the title. They wont be expected to catch them

“We’re relieved we got there in the end.

“We wanted to go straight up, and we achieved that.

“Now we’re focused on the second thing, which is to win the league.

“That’ll be another great achievement.”

Jonas Olsson and West Brom will also be back in the top flight after securing a 3-2 win away to Doncaster Rovers, however the Swede and his team mates are still pushing the Geordies for the title. They wont be expected to catch them

Two Danes got on the scoresheet as Fc Groningen walloped Willem 4-0 at home. Both Thomas Enevoldsen and Nicklas Pedersen scored within the first 22 minutes as Ron Jans men cruised to a comfortable victory. They were handed an ideal start as Enevoldsen scored within the first minute against a side that may well slip out of the Eredivisie.

Morten Rasmussen was given five minutes to spare Celtic`s blushes in the Scottish Cup semi final with Ross County. However agonisingly for the Dane, the ball found it`s way into the Celtic net for a second time as the minnows achieved a tremendous 2-0 win over the Hoops. As a result of this both Rasmussen and Thomas Rogne must now wait  until next season to have any chance at  winning a trophy as the Glasgow club have had a shocking year.

John Arne Riise`s Roma side took advantage of a rare slip by Inter Milan to climb to the top of Serie A, by beating Atalanta 2-1. The Giallorossi are now top with five games remaining and Claudio Ranieri has done a tremendous job to get them that far. They owe a great deal of thanks to Dane Per Kroldrup and his Fiorentina team mates after the latter secured a late 2-2 draw for the Florence side over Roma`s title rivals.

Elsewhere in another crucial match that would affect the title chase , Morten Gamst Pedersen played his part as Blackburn Rovers held title chasing Manchester United to a frustrating 0-0 draw at Ewood Park. The draw for the Norwegian`s side has further compounded United`s recent run of misery which has seen them lose top spot in the Premiership and crash out of the Champions League.

Herman Hreidarsson will be somewhat smiling as his Portsmouth side overcame all the odds to beat Tottenham 2-0 in the FA Cup semi final. The win sets up a final date with Chelsea as Portsmouth seek to win their second FA Cup in three years. Unfortunately for Hreidarsson and team mates, their relegation from the Premiership was also confirmed this weekend.

Heidar Helguson is one other Icelander who can afford to smile this weekend. He scored the only goal of the game as Watford beat relegation rivals Plymouth Argyle 1-0 at Vicarage Road to enhance their hopes of survival.

Andreas Johansson hit an 88 th minute winner as his VFL Bochum side hosted Hamburg. Unfortunately for the Swede he put the ball in the wrong net and they went down 2-1 at home.

Nicklas Bendtner stole the show and the headlines as his 94^th minute winner against Wolves dragged Arsenal back into the Premier League title race, coinciding with Chelsea beating leaders Manchester United to move top. The race will surely run to the final day and this result caps off a great week for Bendtner and his teammates following their Champions League comeback in midweek. His late strike was the ninth time this season that the Gunners have struck a winner in the last five minutes of a match and Arsene Wenger was delighted with his team`s attitude “If Nicklas hadn’t of scored that was it, the title was over because it wouldn’t have been feasible to claw back five points on Chelsea. But we never give up and now we are alive again”.  

Few people have found themselves 3-0 down after just 7 minutes but that was the fate that the erratic Brian Jensen suffered on Saturday as moneybags Man City visited Turf Moor. To further add to Burnley`s woes a fourth goal was added on 20 minutes as fans quickly headed for the exit. The match finished 6-1 as Burnley continue their slide back to the Championship but manager Brian Laws was keen to apologise to the Clarets traumatised fans “The first six minutes was the catalyst and we handed the victory to City on a plate. It was embarrassing and is not acceptable if your playing Man City of anybody” .

Mads Junker notched a hat trick as Roda Jc trounced Eredivisie whipping boys RKC Waalwijk 5-1. The Dane must be starting to move his eye in the direction of South Africa ahead of this year`s`World Cup.

Peter Lovenkrands and his Newcastle United are one win away from ensuring automatic promotion after grinding out a 3-2 win away to struggling Peterborough United. The Magpies host Sheffield United on Monday .

Dennis Rommedahl played his part as Ajax stole a last minute 1-0 victory at ADO Den Haag. The Dane saw his effort saved but it rebounded into the path of Toby Alderweireld who made no mistake and cut the gap at the top of the Eredivisie to four points.

Gylfi Sigurdsson struck a last minute consolation as Reading went down 2-1 away to Ipswich Town. Things may have been different for the Berkshire side but they played the majority of the match with ten men as Matt Mills was sent off after only a half hour.

Cercle Brugge gained a 2-0 victory over Westerlo in the chase for a Europa League playoff. Their efforts were not aided by the sending off of Icelandic midfielder Arnar Vidarsson shortly after half time.

Barcelona regained top spot in La Liga with a routine 4-1 victory over Athletic Bilbao. Zlatan Ibrahimovic was injured prior to the match and will now miss the Catalan sides Champions League quarter final second leg with Arsenal in midweek.

John Arne Riise`s Roma picked up a 1-0 win at Bari courtesy of a Mirko Vucinic goal. The result keeps the Giallorossi one point behind Serie A leaders Inter Milan.    

Brede Hangeland was instrumental as the Norwegian bagged the winner when his battling Fulham side completed a 2-1 comeback against relegation threatened Wigan Athletic. His headed effort went in off the post and was a fine addition to a great all round performance. Hangeland and his teammates travel to Germany this Thursday to face Wolfsburg in the return leg of their Europa League quarter final. They currently lead the tie 2-1.

Daniel Braaten bagged a crucial last minute equaliser as Toulouse earned a point away to Boulogne.

Whatever must John Carew be feeling. The Norwegian  levelled matters for Aston Villa as they visited Chelsea. At 1-1 it was hard to see who would go on and win the game. However Carew will be surprised as most are after a Frank Lampard inspired Chelsea went on and thumped the Villans 7-1.  Nonetheless his goal took the former Valencia hitman to 9 goals in his last 8 games.

John Arne Riise played his part as Roma stormed to a 2-1 win over current Serie A leders Inter Milan. The win moves the Giallorossi to within one point of Jose Mourinho`s men. 

Gylfi Sigurdsson starred as Reading seemed set to beat West Brom for the second time in recent weeks. The Icelandic star put the home side ahead early on and they seemed destined to hang on. But that changed four minutes from time when Swede Jonas Olsson was on hand to crash his effort for the Baggies off the crossbar, fortunately for Roberto Di Matteo`s men Gabriel Tamas prodded home the rebound. Sigurdsson was lucky to stay on the pitch at the end of the match.

Herman Hreidarsson faces an agonising wait to see if he will make Portsmouth`s FA Cup semi final date with Spurs, after he was hauled off injured in the corresponding league fixture. Pompey fear the star has snapped his ankle which will certainly rule him out of the cup tie however manager Avram Grant was quick to heap praise upon a visibly distraught Hreidarsson “Herman is a great, great guy, one of the best professionals i have ever known .He is an example to everyone”  . As if things couldn’t get any worse, Portsmouth`s pending relegation from the Premier League may well be confirmed next weekend. 

Zlatan Ibrahimovic smashed home his third strike of the week as Barcelona laboured to a 1-0 away win at Real Mallorca. Pep Guardiola was delighted with the win that moved Barca clear of Real Madrid on Saturday night “The Team was fantastic in the second half. We won at a ground that has been very difficult to visit this year. We were aggressive and very intense. If we weren`t we couldn’t have won”. Unfortunately for the Catalan side a win for Real Madrid over arch rivals Athletico moved them back to the summit on Sunday.  

Martin Olsson was the culprit of the weekend as his theatrics earned Blackburn Rovers a penalty in a tense Lancashire derby with Burnley. David Dunn slotted home the undeserved spot kick as Rovers grinded out a 1-0 win to push their rivals further towards the relegation trap door. Swede Olsson also had an effort chalked off for offside prior to the controversy. After the match Clarets manager Brian Laws pointed out his frustration at the referees decision  “Olsson`s took a dive. He`s conned the referee .  The referee wasn’t in a great position and he`s given the penalty. It was very harsh on us and left us with a mountain to climb”. 

Ajax blitzed Go Ahead Eagles 6-0 on Thursday night to advance to the final of the Dutch Cup. Danish duo Christian Eriksen and Dennis Rommedahl were among the scorers for Martin Jol`s rampant side. Eriksen`s strike was his first of a great debut season and his joy continued as his side stormed to a 3-0 home win over Groningen in the Eredivisie on Sunday.

Mads Junker bagged a first half brace as Roda cruised to a 4-2 win over Heerenveen. Finn Mika Vayrynen struck home Heerenveen`s second at the death but it was only a mere consolation.

Michael Silberbauer was another Dane who got his name onto the scoresheet in Holland as his Utrecht side beat RKC Waalwijk 2-0. The 14 time capped midfielder struck had all the time in the world and made no mistake in finishing as he cooly slotted the ball into the bottom left corner past despairing goalkeeper Ohad Levita.

Sami Hyypia`s Bayer Leverkusen lost for the second game in succession as did Bayern Munich. Leverkusen`s 2-0 defeat at the hands of Schalke was enough to send their opponents top. Norwegian defender Tore Reginiussen didn’t feature for the victorious Gelsenkirchen side .Munich have also lost their last two league games and the former Tromso man will be hoping his side can manintain their recent form as they chase the Bundesliga title .

Swede Elmander finally broke his scoring duct by putting Bolton Wanderers one nil up against local rivals Wigan Athletic. The strike by the former Toulouse star was his first since December as his Bolton side eventually ran out four nil winners. After the match, Bolton manager Owen Coyle was keen to heap praise on the Swede “Johan has been outstanding for me from day one. I am so pleased for Johan as he has worked so hard, you ask any of his team mates how valuable he is to the team”.

Rasmus Elm was inspirational as AZ Alkmaar trounced RKC Waalwijk 6-2.

Fresh from  heading the rear off Kevin Doyle in a rather unique way, Jensen picked himself up as Burnley battled valiantly in a relegation six pointer with Wolves. Unfortunately for the Dane they lost 2-1.

In the clash of the titans in Holland, Ajax romped to a 4-1 win over PSV Eindhoven. The win leaves their Dennis Rommedahl, Christian Eriksen and co six points adrift of top side FC Twente. The Danish duo will be hoping PSV can take points off the Enschede side next week.

Arsenal continue to keep the pressure on both Manchester United and Chelsea at the top of the Premiership. The Gunners seemed destined for a one all draw with Hull City until Nicklas Bendtner struck a 93^rd minute winner. Following a horrific showing last weekend, the Dane has stepped up his game with this goal against Hull been his fourth of the week, following his first ever hat trick as Arsenal thrashed Porto on Tuesday. With an easier run in than their rivals, few will bet against Arsenal winning a fourth Premiership  title. After the match the Dane professed the belief his side boast  “We showed great character as we did against Stoke and we are going to keep on doing this. I always believe that until the last minute we can do it because i have seen it so many times”.

Peter Lovenkrands scored his 13^th goal of the season with relative ease as Newcastle United stormed to an opening lead in the Tyne-Tees derby. The game eventually finished two all with the Dane`s side grabbing a late equaliser after falling behind.

Roda Jc fans were no doubt delighted to see that Mads Junker was able to line out against NEC Nijmegen, after their star striker suffered a minor injury last week. The Dane picked up where he left off and fired home his 13^th goal of the season.

Gylfi Sigurdsson`s rise from anonymity this year has surely earmarked him for bigger things. The Iceland star bagged both goals, including one from the spot as Reading continued their revival under Brian Mc Dermott by beating Bristol City. He now has 12 goals for the season and has played a major role under McDermott who was full of admiration for him “Gylfi is a natural goalscorer, he is a special boy and has real quality. We have had him here a long time and he always seems to get into the right areas”.

Kari Arnason put the ball in the right net this week but unfortunately for him, his Plymouth Argyle side were held 1-1 by Coventry City.

Leon Andreasen was another Scandinavian who found the net. The Norwegian opened the scoring as his Hannover 96 side earned a 2-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in a match that saw two red cards for the latter.

John Arne Riise`s Roma missed the chance to move within four points of Serie A leaders Inter Milan as they were held to a three all draw with a Livorno side inspired by Cristiano Lucarelli who bagged a hat trick.

Sami Hyypia`s Bayer Leverkusen side are back in the race for the Bundesliga title after a comprehensive 4-2 win over Hamburg.

Herman Hreidarsson will be returning to Wembley after his Portsmouth side produced a shock in the FA Cup quarter final. The south coast side defied expectations to beat Birmingham City two nil and to move on to a semi final date at the illustrious stadium.

John Carew blasted Aston Villa towards a semi final date with Chelsea as they came back from two goals down to beat Reading 4-2. The former Rosenborg man grabbed a hat trick as Villa stepped up a few gears after the break. His third and final goal came from the penalty spot after he was hauled down by Icelandic star Ivar Ingimarsson .After the match Villa manager heaped praise on the Norwegian ,”Gabriel Agbonlahor was poorly this morning and had to go home so John steps in and scores a second-half hat-trick which was absolutely delightful. John at his hungriest can perform like that. He got the equaliser for us and his game lifted two or three-fold.

“Goals give him confidence and the next thing you know he is running the game. He can do that and I want him to perform like that more often. I would be delighted if he could score a hat-trick every week but first he needs to find a level of performance which is up there with the best strikers.” As for Reading and their Icelandic contingent it was the end of a lively and memorable FA Cup run.

Brede Hangeland was sure his effort was sailing but Spurs man of the match Heurelho Gomes stopped the big Norwegian. Hangeland`s Fulham now face a FA Cup quarter final replay at White Hart Lane.  

John Arne Riise`s Roma side were held to a nil all draw at home to rivals Ac Milan. The result leaves the Norwegian`s side two points behind Milan as they strive to catch Inter at the top of Serie A.

Nicklas Bendtner will be hoping he wont have to endure another nightmare like yesterday. The Danish striker missed a ton of chances , including a header from six yards out that he really should have scored. His misery was compounded when he was substituted with 17 minutes remaining and was greeted with an ironic standing ovation by the Gunners fans. Arsenal ran out 3-1 winners.

Peter Lovenkrands fired home a brace as Newcastle United trounced a hapless Barnsley side 6-1 at St James` Park. With the scores level, visiting goalkeeper Luke Steele was dismissed on the stroke of half time , as the floodgates began to open. The Dane bagged the opening goal of the game from the resulting penalty as the hosts went in one up at the break. The second half was somewhat a foregone conclusion, but nobody could predict Newcastle would score another five goals.  Three minutes after the restart Lovenkrands prodded home a fine header which his took his tally to the season for twelve. Amazingly enough all his goals have come on home ground.

Dennis Rommedahl sealed a comprehensive 3-0 victory for Ajax against Sparta Rotterdam. The superb volley was a fine end to a dazzling run by wonderkid Christian Eriksen, who earned his first cap for Denmark in midweek. The Danish duo will be anticipating next weeks crunch clash with fierce rivals PSV Eindhoven.

Jon Dahl Tomasson sat out Feyenoord`s 4-2 away win over Roda JC. An action packed game also included tow red cards with Feyenoord goalkeeper Darley been dismissed late on. Roda JC will be hoping an injury to Danish striker Mads Junker will not be too serious. The striker currently has 11 goals for the season but had to be replaced after half an hour.     

Kasper Schmeichel kept another clean sheet as Notts County ran out 3-0 winners away to Accrington Stanley. New manager Steve Cotterill has gotten off to a great start with three wins from three and will be hoping to maintain this form as the Magpies push for promotion.

Thomas Sorensen`s FA Cup dream ended as Chelsea beat Stoke City 2-0.

Morten Rasmussen helped Celtic to a 2-0 victory over Falkirk. The former Brondby star threaded the ball through the Bairns defence for strike partner Robbie Keane to bag his first of two goals.

Simon Kjaer did not let talk of his future deter him as his Palermo side beat Livorno 1-0 to regain fourth place. Talks of a move for the Dane this summer are gathering pace again.

Magnus Troest was one of two players to be sent off as his Recreativo De Huelva side earned a 1-1 all draw with Celta Vigo. The former Midjtylland star was dismissed in the 78 th minute but this did not hinder his side`s chances of getting an equaliser as Javi Fuego popped up late on to level matters. 

Christian Poulsen won the battle of the Danes in Serie A as his Juventus side beat Per Kroldrup`s Fiorentina 2-1.

Jonas Olsson is enduring a tough time lately. He was called into the Swedish squad for the friendly with Wales but never made his debut, West Brom fans were seen rowing with him after a match last week, oh and the small matter of a 3-1 defeaat at QPR will do him no good. 

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is another Swede who is enduring a horrid time. Barcelona grinded out a 2-2 draw with Almeria in a match that will be remembered for nothing more than shocking refereeing decisions. Carlos Clos Gomez was the man in the middle and made some bizarre decisions. He delayed the start of the match by 15 minutes as he was unhappy with Almeria`s shirts which carried a message for the victims of the earthquake in Chile. After the match started, the error prone ref was not far from further cock ups . Almeria will feel hard done by as he awarded Barca a free which was never a free but the Catalans equalised from it. Barca manager Pep Guardiola was harshly sent to the stands for protesting claims for a penalty, he was soon followed by Swede Ibrahimovic. The striker who was unlucky not to find the scoresheet barely touched the face of rival Domingo Cisma, who theatrically threw himself to the ground and thus earned the former Ajax man a red card.  Guardiola was haooy afterwards despite the farce and the result “we were playing with ten men and without a coach. But the pride in this team is great. With ten men we were still looking for the third goal and thats important”.

Marcus Berg sat out Hamburg`s one nil win over struggling Hertha Berlin.

Az Alkmaar`s Scandinavian contingent enjoyed a resounding 4-1 home win over Heerenveen. Swede`s Pontus Wernbloom and Rasmus Elm, Finn Niklas Moisander and Dane Simon Poulsen all played their part as Alkmaar came back from behind.

Former Elfsborg man Lasse Nilsson scored for Vitesse Arnhem as they drew 1-1 with fellow relegation candidates ADO Den Haag .

Ola Toivonen was sprung from the bench after only fifteen minutes but the Swede could do little as his PSV Eindhoven crashed to a shock  2-1 defeat at NAC Breda. The misery of their  first defeat of the season was compounded as FC Twente beat RKC Waalwijk 1-0, courtesy of a Kenneth Perez goal, to move two points clear of Fred Rutten`s men at the top of the Eredivisie.

PSV Were not the only side in Europe who lost for the first time this week. Sami Hyypia`s Bayer Leverkusen side went down 3-2 at struggling Nurnberg. The result ends their 25 game unbeaten run and blows the Bundesliga title race wide open.

 The Football Association of Iceland (KSÍ) has unveiled a statue in honour of Gudmundsson, the man who paved the way for modern Icelandic stars to move abroad and  later became FA president.

 The statue stands outside the KSÍ headquarters in Laugardalur, Reykjavik, as a monument to Gudmundsson’s example as both player and administrator. Gudmundsson, who was born in 1923, is fondly remembered by all generations. His dedication and desire to fulfil his personal ambition saw him enter uncharted waters for an Icelandic player, as his travels took him from Valur Reykjavík to Rangers FC, Arsenal FC, Racing Club de Paris, AC Milan, AS Nancy-Lorraine and OGC Nice.

 After shining with local club Valur, Gudmundsson went to study in Scotland where he played as an amateur for Rangers before moving south to join Arsenal. In 1947 he joined Racing Club de Paris as a professional, and later wore the colours of AC Milan  where he suffered a serious knee injury . The break in the knee was thought to be permanent and it looked his career had come to an end. However the team doctor of rivals Inter Milan wanted to operate on him much to the anger of Milan who would not let this happen. Determined to pro long his playing days. Gudmundsson then bought out the remainder of his contract and underwent a succesful operation .He returned to France where he represented both Nancy and Nice before returning home to Iceland in 1954 and hanging up his boots.

 In 1967 he was awarded a silver badge by the KSÌ for his work in football. One  year later  he was elected as chairman of the association and held this position until 1973. When he stepped down that year, his honour was upgraded to a gold standard.

 Gudmundsson forged a career after football, in  both business and politics, serving as chairman of Reykjavik city council and later as the nation’s minister of finance and minister of industry. The former Valur hero also ran for president in 1980 but narrowly lost out to Vigdìs Finnbogadòttir . 

 He  continued to work in football, most notably holding the post of KSÍ president between 1968 and 1973. He remained a passionate supporter of the beautiful game and when other Icelandic players were offered professional contracts by foreign clubs ,Gudmundsson  helped ensure his compatriots got a good deal.

 After leaving politics, Gudmundsson returned to France as Icelandic ambassador from 1983 to 1989. He passed away in 1994 aged 70. 

His passion for the game leaves on through his son and former Iceland international Ingi Bjorn Albertsson.

His impact in the history of Icelandic football is forever revered.

Consider the national teams of England, Spain and Italy. Most of the top stars who represent their countries on the international stage ply their trade at home. Contrast that with countries such as Ireland and Iceland , who don’t have great domestic leagues and their players are forced to go abroad in search of bigger opportunities.

What effect does this have?

While Ireland have  played at a handful of prestigious events that is a benefit they have over Iceland, who since joining FIFA in 1947, have not qualified for a major event. At present , such qualification seems miles away for a team that boasts some top stars we are all familiar with.

Now look at European club competitions. Ireland have come within touching distance of qualifying for the Champions League and Europa League in recent years, providing some memorable shocks along the way, but where has Iceland gone? Iceland`s progress at European club level is extremely slow and devoid of hope. It will be lightyears before any significant developments are made on this front unless something is done.

The Icelandic Football Association, otherwise known as KSÌ, will tell you that 153 clubs are resident on the island. How these clubs would crave the money that some of their compatriots put into foreign clubs. This is another familiar trend that Iceland have with Ireland, an Icelandic consortium opts to pump vast sums of money into West Ham United at the expense of a domestic club, while an Irish consortium does the exact same at fellow Premiership club Sunderland.

It just goes to show you, you may love your country and the game of football , but your in the business to add to your hefty bank balance.

Then Iceland`s   second richest man, Bjorgulfur Gudmundsson took over the Hammers in what seemed to be a good deal for all involved. The club cost him £85 million, what that could of done for the domestic league you can figure out for yourself.  Little did West Ham fans know what lay ahead. Gudmundsson became football`s main victim of the global economic downtur n and  joy turned to anger. With Iceland itself falling perilously deeper into the financial mire so too did Gudmundsson and his business empire.

As Gudmundsson edged towards the brink of bankruptcy ,West Ham were taken over by Icelandic bank Straumur, who it emerged had lent Gudmundsson the money to fund the takeover. West Ham were looked after by the bank and managed to keep their aheads above water. The biggest smile on the faces of  West Ham fans came when all links with Iceland were severed. They have since been taken over by well known football charachters David  Gold and David Sullivan, former owners of Birmingham City.

So, Gudmundsson borrowed a crazy some of money to invent what he labelled the Champions League dream in East London. That dream took off , on a piece of paper but unfortunately for some the true values of aspirations are not met on paper.

If Gudmundsson had of pumped a mere 5% of his fortune into the Icelandic national team or into the league , who knows what would have happened. Hell, maybe  he still would of had a penny in his pocket today. The people of Iceland don’t care about Gudmundsson and his past actions of flashing the cash, why would they , he could have lifted the spirits of the people by investing the money at home .But such is the fat cat hierarchy that is still strangling the life out of world football, he took his money abroad and wasted it. At least if some of the money was spent on football at home , he would have something to show for himself when all else fell apart but what has he now?

Premiership (4)

Herman Hreidarsson, Portsmouth FC

Gretar Steinsson, Bolton Wanderers

Eidur Gudjohnsen, Tottenham Hotspur

Joey Gudjonsson, FC Burnley

Championship (8):
Ivar Ingimarsson, FC Reading
Emil Hallfredsson, FC Barnsley
Brynjar Björn Gunnarsson, FC Reading
Aron Einar Gunnarsson, Coventry City
Heidar Helguson, FC Watford
Kári Árnason, Plymouth Argyle
Gunnar Heidar Thorvaldsson, FC Reading
Gylfi Sigurdsson, FC Reading

League 1, England (1):
Ármann Smári Björnsson, Hartlepool United

Æresdivisjonen, Nederland (1):
Arnór Smárason, SC Heerenveen

Premier League, Skottland (2):
Eggert Gunnthor Jónsson, Hearts
Kjartan Henry Finnbogason, Falkirk FC

Jupiler Liga, Belgia (3):
Arnar Vidarsson, Cercle Brügge
Bjarni Vidarsson, Roeselare
Hólmar Örn Eyjólfsson, Roeselare

Superligaen, Danmark (4):
Sölvi Geir Ottesen, SönderjyskE
Rúrik Gíslason, Odense
Stefán Gíslason, Brøndby
Ólafur Ingi Skúlason, SönderjyskE

1. divisjon, Danmark (1):
Sigmundur Kristjansson, Brabrand IF

Eliteserien Norge (11):
Arni Gautur Arason, Odd Grenland
Kristján Örn Sigurdsson, Hønefoss BK
Indridi Sigurdsson, Viking
Birkir Már Sævarsson, Brann
Birkir Bjarnason, Viking
Veigar Páll Gunnarsson, Stabæk
Ólafur Örn Bjarnason, Brann
Palmi Rafn Palmason, Stabæk
Gylfi Einarsson, Brann
Stefán Logi Magnússon, LSK
Björn Bergmann Sigurdarson, LSK

1. divisjon Norge (4):
Viktor Bjarki Arnarsson, Nybergsund
Gudmann Thorisson, Nybergsund
Arnar Darri Petursson, Lyn Oslo
Haukur Pall Sigurdsson, Alta IF

Allsvenskan (9):
Ragnar Sigurdsson, IFK Göteborg
Hjalmar Jonsson, IFK Göteborg
Theodor Elmar Bjarnason, IFK Göteborg.
Helgi Danielsson, Elfsborg.
Jonas Gudni Sævarson, Halmstad
Hallgrimur Jonasson, GAIS
Gudmundur Gunnarsson, GAIS
Gudjon Baldvinsson, GAIS
Eyjolfur Hedinsson, GAIS

Superettan, Sverige (5):
Ari Frey Skulason, GIF Sundsvall
David Vidarsson, Öster
Hannes Sigurdsson, GIF Sundsvall
Gunnar Thor Gunnarsson, IFK Norrköping
Sverrir Gardarsson, GIF Sundsvall

Slovakia 0-1 Norway

Rosenborg winger Morten Moldskred bagged the only goal as Norway defeated World Cup bound Slovakia in Zilina. It was Egil Olsen`s side`s third win in as many matches, following recent victories over South Africa and Switzerland . Norway are starting to show good form ahead of the European qualifiers , which begin at the end of the year, but first they must sit agonisingly through a World Cup, which they will not participate in.

Norway: Jon Knudsen, Tom Hogli, Kjetil Waehler, John Arne Riise, Brede Hangeland (Vadim Demidov, 74), Bjorn Helge Riise (Ciljan Skjelbred, 62), Henning Hauger, Morten Gamst Pedersen, Christian Grindheim (Alexander Tettey, 90), Daniel Braaten (Erik Huseklepp, 62), Morten Moldskred (Espen Ruud, 85).

Austria 2-1 Denmark

Denmark suffered a shocking defeat at the hands of European minnows Austria. The Austrians , who are currently ranked 56^th in the world, went ahead early on before Nicklas Bendtner equalised with a well taken header. Austria regained the lead shortly before half time when Roma Wallner sealed the win for Didi Constantini`s team.

Denmark will face the Netherlands, Japan and Cameroon in the group stages of the World Cup this summer. The Danes will really need to step up their game to have any chance of qualifying from a tricky group.

“We always want to win, but I knew before the match it was going to get difficult,” Denmark coach Morten Olsen said. “We had to bring some young and inexperienced players. It’s important to have everyone available in two, three months from now.”

Denmark: Thomas Sorensen, Simon Kjaer, Per Kroldrup, Leon Jessen (Michael Lumb, 46), Michael Silberbauer, Thomas Kahlenberg, Daniel Jensen (Christian Eriksen, 56), William Kvist Jorgensen (Peter Nymann, 76), Michael Krohn-Dehli, Dennis Rommedahl (Soeren Rieks, 46), Nicklas Bendtner (Rakjo Lekic, 61).

Cyprus 0-0 Iceland

Cyprus and Iceland played out a dull and unexciting friendly in Larnaca. The fixture showed why both teams are no where near World Cup qualification.

Iceland: Arni Arason (Gunnleifur Gunnleifson, 39), Solvi Ottesen, Kari Arnason, Ragnar Sigurdsson (Arnor Adalsteinsson, 67), Helci Danielsson, Rurik Gislason, Aron Gunnarsson, Olafur Skulason, Emil Hallfredsson, Heidar Helguson.

Malta 1-2 Finland

Finland came from a goal behind to beat Malta . Roman Eremenko equalised from the penalty spot for the Finns before substitute Mika Vayrynen popped up with a timely winner.

Manager Stuart Baxter offered a thorough analysis of the match afterwards “We knew that to come here and play well without a full team would be difficult. Malta made it hard for us but we expected this because even Sweden had problems when they played here.

“The first 20 minutes were hectic for us because we didn’t do well in opening up play and Malta were very lively. Gradually, we gained control and we continued like that in the second half. I’m satisfied that we scored two goals and won the game.

“Overall, it was a very good exercise for my team.”

Finland: P. Enckelman (’46 O. Fredrikson), V. Lampi, N. Moisander, J. Raitala, R. Eremenko, K. Hamalainen (77 J. Kolkka), J. Litmanen (’46 M. Varyrynen), T. Sparv (’46 T. Tainio), J. Johansson (’83 T. Pukki), R. Porokara, T. Kallio (’57 J. Lyyski).

Wales 0-1 Sweden

Erik Hamren enjoyed a winning start to his tenure as Sweden boss as a solitary Johan Elmander goal sealed the win at the Liverty Stadium. Elmander will be relieved to have finally found the net. The striker is still revered in his country but must try and find some from for his club, Bolton Wanderers, as they fight to remain in the Premiership. Working under Rosenborg manager Hamren may be the catalyst he needs.

Hamren was full of optimism after the match “we shall improve a lot after this result. For me the basis is that winning mentality, if you have that then the play will come“, he said.

Sweden: Eddie Gustafsson, Olof Mellberg, Daniel Majstorovic, Behrang Safari (Oscar Wendt, 62), Sebastian Larsson, Rasmus Elm (Tobias Hysen, 59), Anders Svensson, Kim Kallstrom (Viktor Elm, 81), Johan Elmander (Pontus Wernbloom, 59), Ola Toivonen, Christian Wilhelmsson (Mikael Lustig, 73).

Georgia 2-1 Estonia

A last gasp striker from David Siradze seled a 2-1 win for Georgia over Estonia. After falling one behind, Ats Purje believed his late equaliser was enough to send both sides home happy but that was not the case as a depleted Estonian outfit came up short in Tbilisi.

Herman Hreidarsson managed a smile at long last as his Portsmouth side trounced local rivals Southampton 4-1 away from home.

Reading and West Brom must play each other again after a captivating two all draw at the Madjeski stadium. Reading, who where still missing their FA Cup hero Gylfi Sigurdsson, stole the lead after nine seconds of play. The experience of Icelandic duo Ivar Ingimarsson and Brynjar Gunnarsson aided the Berkshire side in this tense battle as both teams were reduced to ten men, before Olsson’s Baggies grabbed an equaliser at the death.

Bolton Wanderers and Tottenham must also square off again to see who will advance. The match finished 1-1 and many Spurs fans will feel aggrieved after Jussi Jaaskelainen saved a poor penalty from Tom Huddlestone which would have put them through. After the match Bolton captain Kevin Davies jumped to the defence of misfiring striker partner Elmander stating “Johan`s work rate is unbelievable. He works his socks off and we are all behind him and we all believe in him because he does a great job for the side and we all appreciate that”. Manager Owen Coyle was also keen to talk up the Swede and proclaimed “I thought he was outstanding with his level of performance”. Elmander will be hoping he can strike it lucky when the Wanderers entertain Wigan Athletic in midweek.

John Carew continued his return from injury, replacing Emile Heskey in Aston Villa`s two all draw at Crystal Palace. The Norwegian saw two shots thwarted by Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni. Villa forced a replay with a late goal from a corner , that should not have been given.  Carew will be hoping to reinvigorate himself ahead of  testing times for the Birmingham club , with a league cup final against Manchester United looming.

Thomas Sorensen kept moneybags Man City at bay and ensured his Stoke side earned a replay after a credible one all draw at Eastlands. Stoke will prove a stern test for Roberto Mancini`s men when they renew adversaries at one of the hardest grounds to visit in England, the Britannia stadium.

Sebastian Larsson featured as Birmingham City grabbed a late winner to beat Derby County 2-1 and advance to the quarter finals of the prestigious cup competition. Despite Larsson producing one of hi finer performances of late, he will still be unhappy at been subbed yet again.

Fulham crushed Notts County 4nil to reach the quarter final stage in what was County`s first match post Sven Goran Eriksson. David Elm continued his fine form of late, providing a flick that assisted Bobby Zamora`s second goal. The Cottagers had two Scandinavians starting and a further three on the bench. Danish keeper Kasper Schmeichel was the unlucky man tasked with keeping the score down.

In League one Casper Ankergren`s Leeds United side fought valiantly to rescue a point at Leyton Orient.  Having conceded a late goal the Dane`s team battled hard and it paid off as a last minute equaliser came in the form of an own goal.

Leon Andreasen endured a nightmare as Hannover 96 went down 5-1 at home to Werder Bremen. As if the embarrassment wasn’t enough, the Norwegian had to bow his head even further after sticking the ball in his own net.

Swedish striker Marcus Berg found his shooting boots again. He bagged the first goal but  Ruud Van Nistelrooy stole the show as Hamburg  eased to a 3-1 away win at Stuttgart.  `

Fellow Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic also managed to notch a goal but he was unable to prevent his Barcelona side from slipping to their first defeat of the season, as the Catalan giants went down 2-1 at Athletico Madrid.

Ola Toivonen joined his fellow countrymen on the scoresheet. The Swede scored the only goal as PSV earned a hard fought victory over Heracles. Toivonen has been a revelation this season.

Elsewhere in Holland, Swedish defenders Fredrik Stenman and Andreas Granqvist both scored as Groningen grinded out a 2-1 home victory over struggling RKC Waalwijk.

Sami Hyypia and His Leverkusen side ran out 2-1 winners at Wolfsburg, the victory was enough to put the Finn`s side back on top .

John Arne Riise sealed a 4-1  for Roma over Palermo with a fine strike. Riise`s form this season has been a far cry from that of last year and he is a perfect fit in a spirited Roma side. Riise believes that his efforts this season has seen fans of the Giallorossi renew the faith they originally showed in him ,  “I always give my all and the fans have recognised this “.

Thomas Rogne did not make his Celtic debut against Aberdeen. The Norwegian was expected to debut after a fine performance against Hearts in midweek. Celtic threw away a 4-2 lead in a pulsating tie that finished 4 all. Morten Rasmussen came on as a sub but failed to get on the score sheet.A three nil victory for Rangers on Sunday over Hibernian saw them extend the gap over Celtic at the top to ten points.

Dennis Rommedahl scored the first goal that set Ajax on course for a two nil away win at Heerenveen. Norwegian midfielder Christian Grindheim was sent off for the hosts and the Amsterdam  side sealed tthe win late on.

Rasmus Elm proved he too can score goals just like his brother David, who scored in midweek for Fulham. Rasmus scored a stunning free kick from 25 yards out to secure a 2-0 win for reigning Dutch champions AZ Alkmaar over Roda Jc.

Daniel Braaten bagged a late equaliser for Toulouse as they stumbled to a one all draw with Lorient.

Peter Lovenkrands was the first Scandinavian to make an impression this weekend. The Danish star scored two goals as a sub as his Newcastle United side romped to a 5-1 win against Cardiff City. His manager Chris Hughton was full of praise for the former Rangers player “We needed a little injection and Peter certainly gave us that. His two goals were very well taken. He came into the game when it was probably already won, but he showed a terrific  attitude to make an impact”. Lovenkrand`s brace took his goal tally to six since the turn of the year .

Jon Dahl Tomasson also enjoyed a good night on Friday. The Denmark international played a pivotal role as his Feyenoord earned a deserved one nil victory over basement club RKC Waalwijk. Tomasson`s lobbed effort shortly after the interval proved the difference between the two sides.

Elswehere fellow Dane Brian Jensen played a key role as Brian Laws ground out his first win as Burnley manager with a 2-1 home victory over West Ham. Jensen wasn’t the only victorious Danish goalkeeper in the England this weekend as Thomas Sorensen`s Stoke City side cruised to a three nil win over Blackburn Rovers. Kasper Schmeichel`s Notts County side also recorded a one nil win away to Grimsby.

One unfortunate Danish goalkeeper was Casper Ankergren. The former Brondby star has rather had a week to forget. In midweek he delivered an outstanding performance in the first half as Leeds battled against Spurs in the FA Cup. His performance in the second half was at times questionable and he was at fault for the third goal as Spurs earned a 3-1 win. The weekend wasn’t much better for Ankergren as an injury time goal for Hartlepool meant his side would have to be content with a two all draw.

Morten Rasmussen bagged his second goal on his first start for his new club as his Celtic side ran out 4-2 winners in a tense battle with Dunfermline in the Scottish cup. Not content with that he also tried to claim an own goal “I was going after the ball and I think I got a little touch as did the defender, so I will take the goal and that makes it two today! But it was important that we won and got through to the next round”.

Dennis Rommedahl bagged a goal as his Ajax side trounced FC Twente 3-0. Rommedahl came on as a sub to complete a resounding victory that pushes Ajax closer to the Enschede side. Swede Rasmus Lindgren initiated the movement towards the Dane`s goal.

Daniel Agger`s Liverpool side emerged victorious from a ferocious Liverpool derby, beating fierce rivals Everton one nil.

Palermo ran out 2-1 winners at Parma. Simon Kjaer was his usual consistent self as his side closed the gap on the top four.

Danish striker Mads Junker further added to an action packed weekend for Danish born players.  He bagged the second goal as his Roda JC side beat Sparta Rotterdam 2-1.

Two more Danes also hit the target as FC Groningen went down 4-3 away to Heracles. Recently capped international Thomas Enevoldsen bagged a brace and his compatriot Morten Nordstrand, who is on loan from  FC Kobenhavn added a third. Their efforts proved in vain though as their side were reduced to nine men and threw away a 3-1 lead.

Bo Svensson scored his first ever goal for Mainz, which secured a 1-0 win over Borussia Monchengladbach.

Swedish striker Johan Elmander waisted yet another great opportunity as Bolton Wanderers drew 0-0 with Fulham in a rather drab affair. A clash of heads between him and Brede Hangeland will no doubt be used as the reason for wasting a glorious effort. Elmander is looking nothing like a £10M player Both teams possessed seven Scandinavians between them, with Swede David Elm making his first start for the Cottagers .

Fellow Swede Sebastian Larsson was substituted for the second time in a week as Birmingham City rose from the dead to secure a late 2-1 win over arch rivals Wolves .

Ola Toivonen found the net as PSV moved clear at the top of the Eredivisie. The Swedish star struck home a rebound effort to take his goal tally to 12 for the season as the Eindhoven side ran out two nil winners against ADO Den Haag. Earlier in the season Toivonen bagged four against ADO as PSV romped home with a 5-1 win.

Emil Hallfredsson struck the only goal as his Barnsley side recorded a one nil win over Watford. The Icelandic international is currently on loan from Serie A side Reggina and is keen to stay on at Oakwell “I’m happy here and I would consider staying for longer, if there was an offer to stay beyond my loan deal because I am playing regularly here . There is no reason why we cant make the playoffs”.

Herman Hreirdarsson was absent as his Portsmouth side crashed 5-0 to Manchester United. The Iceland captain will probably be happy he missed this one as his side bizarrely scored three own goals.

Eidur Gudjohnsen must wait or his debut as he didn’t feature during Spurs nil all draw with Aston Villa. The Iceland star would have been hoping to feature as this week he has been linked to the woman at the centre of the John Terry affair, Vanessa Peroncell.

Three Iceland stars featured as Reading fought to a hard earned 2-1 victory over Doncaster Rovers. Ivar Ingimarsson and Brynjar Gunnarsson started the game for the Royals while Gunnar Heidar Thorvaldsson emerged from the bench to play his part. Their influential compatriot Gylfi Sigurdsson was a notable absentee from Reading`s midfield due to injury.

Norwegian players didn’t enjoy the best time of it this weekend. Morten Gamst Pedersen`s Blackburn side got stuffed at Stoke while Thorstein Helstad played a part as his Le Mans side fell further towards relegation after a 2-1 defeat at Lens. Elsewhere there was good news as John Carew made a return to the Aston Villa bench. The former Rosenborg striker was brought on after only 22 minutes to replace the injured Emile Heskey.

John Arne Riise`s Roma side have continued their rich vein of form as of late with a 1-0 victory over Fiorentina.

Pedersen`s team`s defeat has since been marred by the announcement that one of their fans died during an altercation at half time inside the ground. The facts are not known as of yet however this sick tragedy is believed to have occurred due to in-fighting amongst Blackburn`s own fans.

Ingòlfur Sigurdsson is an Icelandic under 17 international who has courted interest from all corners of Europe after some inspiring displays for Ùrvalsdeild side  KR . Sigurdsson further underlined his potential this past weekend with a brace for the senior team , with Arsenal and Everton scouts in attendance.

On the 15^th of February Ingolfur will travel to London where he will link up with Arsene Wenger`s men for a five day trial. The Icelandic starlet is ideally a left winger but can also operate in the centre. Having joined Iceland`s most successful club, KR , from Heerenveen  in Holland, he has been quick to put himself into the spotlight and he has stated his desire to move to England.

Should Sigurdsson opt to join Arsenal he will not be the first Icelandic national to play for the Gunners. Siggi Jonsson  was a member of the Arsenal side who won the league in 1990-91 season. Jonsson helped Akranes to win the Icelandic league twice before opting to move to England.

He originally joined Sheffield Wednesday but was signed by then Arsenal manager George Graham in 1989. Despite being part of the Championship winning squad , Jonsson only managed a total of ten appearances for the Gunners. Should Sigurdsson follow in his compatriot`s footsteps in joining the London side, he will hope to carve out a better career in England.

Morten Rasmussen staked his claim for a starting spot with his first goal for his new club, Celtic .The Danish international striker came off the bench to score the only goal in a hard fought win over Hamilton. Despite  Rasmussen living  up to his midweek claims that he is a “box player”  the result still leaves the Hoops ten points behind Rangers. .Manager Tony Mowbray was delighted that his new signing was “in the right place at the right time”.

Morten Gamst Pedersen featured  as Blackburn Rovers played out a bore draw with West Ham. The Norwegian international is Rovers only source of inspiration but he was unable to break the stalemate. In his efforts to do so the Rovers midfielder cracked a shot off the crossbar and cheekily tried to score direct from a corner, something that he has done before.

This week Coventry City revealed they turned down a bid for Icelandic international Aron Gunnarsson from Sheffield Utd. Gunnarsson may have rather been at Bramall Lane this weekend rather than the Ricoh arena, as the midfielder was on the wrong end of a Brett Ormerod elbow as his side drew one all with Blackpool. Ormerod was sent off for the incident.

Fulham`s  quartet of Scandinavians had a weekend to forget as they lost their 5^th match in a row. Norwegian international Brede Hangeland was at fault for the second goal as the Cottagers suffered a two nil defeat at the hands of an Aston Villa side who are still without John Carew. Bjorn Helge Riise made a substitute appearance for Fulham as did Swede David Elm. The latter replaced fellow Scandinavian Erik Nevland and twice went close to scoring. The former  Kalmar star had a fine strike chalked off for been offside. Nevland was the most offside player in the Premiership this weekend having been caught three times by the fourth official.

Bolton Wanderers lost two nil to Liverpool, and the result would have been much worse had it not been for Jussi Jaaskelainen. The Finnish net minder kept the Anfield side at bay for much of the match, and had no hope of saving their second goal. A shot by Gabriel Insua hit the outstretched leg of Kevin Davies before nutmegging Icelandic full back Gretar Steinsson and trickling into the net. Johan Elmander made an appearance from the bench but the Swede was virtually invisible except for a clumsy tackle.

Eidur Gudjohnsen did not feature for his new team but will nonetheless be feeling their misery. A late goal by Birmingham City condemned them to a one all draw.

Seven times Finnish footballer of the year Sami Hyypia  also got in among the goals. The Bayer Leverkusen centre back powered home a header as his side cruised to a 3-1 over Freiburg which enabled them to regain top spot in the Bundesliga.

Reading`s Icelandic contingent played their part as the Royals grabbed a one nil home win over Barnsley. Captained by Ivar Ingimarsson, the Championship side also had Brynjar Gunnarsson and Gylfi Sigurdsson in their starting line up. Gunnar Heidar Thorvaldsson was an unused sub in the victory, which was secured with Shane Long`s winner.

Toulouse continued their push for a European place with a 3-1 away win to Le Mans. Daniel Braaten was instrumental in his sides victory, the former Rosenborg star provided the assist for Paulo Machado`s opening goal. Braaten was later substituted and shortly after  their  opponents brought on his former Rosenborg team mate Thorstein Helstad to aid their cause.

Roma grinded out a 2-1 win at home to Siena. Norwegian international John Arne Riise opened the scoring for Claudio Ranieri`s men with a stunning volley. Riise`s goal is his second in as many Serie A matches, as he scored a crucial 93^rd minute header against Juventus last weekend.

Marcus Berg failed to add to his eight goals in this year`s  Bundesliga. The Swedish striker was substituted towards the end of the match in which he received a yellow card. He watched on from the bench as his Hamburg side grabbed a last minute equaliser at home to Wolfsburg.

Danish striker Kenneth Perez broke the deadlock for FC Twente in their match with Roda Jc . Twente ran out two nil winners as they joined PSV Eindhoven on top of the Eredivisie. PSV remain top on goal difference.

Fellow Dane Kasper Schmeichel kept a clean sheet as his Notts County side ran out 2-0 winners over Barnet . County`s director of football Sven Goran Eriksson was on hand to see the win.

Rising Icelandic star Kristjan Gauti Emilsson bagged the only goal as Liverpool`s under 18 side beat Manchester United 1nil. The new signing could not hide his delight after signing a contract at his favourite team “Its a great honour for me to say I play for Liverpool. I have been a Liverpool fan since the age of six so when I was offered a contract, it was an easy choice”. It’s probably more fun playing for Liverpool’s under-18s than their first team at the moment, so it would be churlish to belittle his sunny outlook. And churlish we are most certainly not, no sirree.

Here are some deals involving Nordic players you may or may not be aware of that have taken place this month.

-Norwegian defender Morten Knudsen has joined English League One side Colchester United. The former Skiold and Notodden star will have a tough job trying to shore up the U`s leaky defence.

-Estonian international Joel Lindpere has left Tromso and signed for Red Bull New York. He is the second Tippeligaen star to move to America, following Rosenborg`s Roy Miller, who also joined RBNY this month.

-Fellow Estonian Mihkel Aksalu has joined Championship side Sheffield United. The international  goalkeeper signed a two and a half year deal after completing a successful trial.

-Danish star Niki Zimling is the subject of attention from all over Europe. German side Borussia Dortmund are apparently leading the race for the signature of the Udinese midfielder.

-Finnish striker Shefki Kuqi has joined Swansea City for the third time from German outfit TUS Koblenz. He is not the only Scandinavian to pitch up at a club for a third time this month, Iceland international Heidar Helguson having rejoined Watford.

-German side Hansa Rostock have added to their ranks with the capture of  Icelandic duo Gardar Johansson and Helgi Valur Danielsson.  Striker Johansson has moved to the second division outfit from Norwegian side Fredrikstad, while Danielsson joins from Allsvenskan side Elfsborg.

-West Ham have loaned out Iceland under 21 international Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson to Belgian side KSV Roeselaere.

-Elsewhere ,Norwegian star Knut Olav Rindaroy is staying put at Molde. Another player staying put is Swedish  veteran Freddie Ljungberg, who will remain at MLS side Seattle Sounders.