Thursday Evening News and Notes

Here are some tidbits for your Thursday evening:

-Tim Howard made 9 saves in Everton's 1-0 win over AEK Athens in Europa League play yesterday. The clean sheet, Howard's first since September 26th, was a welcome change of pace for the Toffees, who have been struggling defensively for much of the season. The win guarantees Everton of a top two finish in Group I, meaning they will move on to the round of 32 of the tournament.

-Clint Dempsey came on as a 70th minute substitute in Fulham's 1-0 home victory over CSKA Sofia of Bulgaria. The USMNT midfielder has logged a lot of minutes thus far and was given a rest by manager Roy Hodgson before eventually coming on late in the game. Eddie Johnson, meanwhile, was not in the squad for this match. Fulham's victory keeps their hopes of advancing to the round of 32 alive, as they sit one point behind FC Basel with their final group game against the Swiss side.

-Maurice Edu is nearing a return to the Rangers lineup. The former Toronto FC star has resumed training after spending several months recovering from knee surgery. Edu is hoping to make his return in the fabled Old Firm match between Rangers and Celtic on January 3rd. Edu was thought of as a promising prospect for the USMNT with a chance to make the World Cup squad, but his injury and the adequate performance of Ricardo Clark have left him with a fair amount of work to do in the next few months if he wants to make the trip to South Africa.

-FIFA has decided not to use the five referee system that UEFA is currently experimenting with in the Europa League for next summer's World Cup. After the fall-out surrounding the Ireland-France fiasco, it's somewhat of a curious decision and will not be forgotten by the international soccer community if another controversial moment goes unnoticed.

-USMNT defender Danny Califf will be returning to MLS after a three year stint in Denmark. The former Aalborg captain has found playing time hard to come by this season for FC Midtjylland, and will be joining expansion side Philadelphia for the 2010 season. Califf has drifted off the World Cup radar after some poor appearances with the USMNT, with his recent club struggles only making things worse.

-The World Cup draw, subject to countless mock draws, speculation, and hand-wringing, will finally take place tomorrow. Tune in at 12 PM ET on ESPN2 to see the drama unfold and see who the USMNT will face off against in six months.