Tim Howard played for the first time since dislocating a finger while in goal for the United States against Brazil on Sept. 9, and Everton beat Middlesbrough 2-0 to move up to fifth place in the Premier League. Joleon Lescott and Steven Pienaar scored at Goodison to give Everton 13 points, six fewer than first-place Arsenal, which won 1-0 at West Ham on Saturday.

Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs looks certain to stay with the Premier League champions after Sir Alex Ferguson hinted he will sign a new contract.

AC Milan’s winless streak in the Italian league reached five games Sunday following a 1-1 tie with Catania. Jorge Martinez put Catania ahead in the 26th minute at San Siro and Kaka tied it with a penalty kick in the 48th. After opening the season with a win over Genoa, the European champions have drawn four games and lost one in Serie A.

Villarreal knocked Barcelona off the Spanish first division summit with a 1-0 triumph over Athletic Bilbao on Sunday to record their 13th league victory in their last 14 outings.

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Brief reports of Bundesliga
matches played on Sunday:

Defender Christian Schulz scored
twice to lead Hanover 96 to a 2-1 victory over MSV Duisburg in
the Bundesliga on Sunday while Energie Cottbus let slip a 2-0
halftime lead against Eintracht Frankfurt.

South Africa midfielder Steven Pienaar scored his first Everton goal as David Moyes's side beat Middlesbrough 2-0 on Sunday.

Villarreal continued their
impressive start to the season with a 1-0 home win over Athletic
Bilbao that put them on top of the Primera Liga on Sunday.

Germany won its second straight Women’s World Cup on Sunday, defeating Brazil 2-0 behind second-half goals by Birgit Prinz and Simone Laudehr. Prinz scored in the 52nd minute and Laudehr added a cushion in the 86th, helping Germany become the first women’s soccer team to successfully defend its title in the World Cup or Olympics.