Action Abroad - 04-05-04

There is plenty of drama at this time of the season with teams chasing promotion and trying to avoid relegation. Our Socceroos are at the heart of it and while there was joy for Mark Bresciano, the same cannot be said for Mark Viduka. Click here to find out how the two Mark's and many of Aussies Abroad fared over the past week.

ACTION IN THE UK…   BARCLAYCARD PREMIER LEAGUE Date: 02-05-04 *         Socceroo Mark Viduka opened the scoring with a 27th minute penalty but received a second yellow card and was subsequently sent off as Leeds United lost 4-1 away to Bolton Wanderers. Viduka-s dismissal paved the way for a second half surge from Bolton that saw Leeds relegated from the Premiership after 14 years in the top flight. Date: 01-05-04 *         Socceroo Lucas Neill played a full game while Socceroo Brett Emerton came on in the 90th minute as Blackburn Rovers won 1-0 at home against Manchester United. Blackburn is in 13th place with two games remaining. *         Socceroo Stan Lazaridis played a full game as Birmingham City drew 0-0 at home against Wolverhampton Wanderers. The draw has ended any realistic chance of Birmingham making it to Europe next season and is now in 10th spot with two games to go. *         Socceroo Harry Kewell played a full game and helped create the second goal of the game as Liverpool won 2-0 at home against Middlesbrough. Meanwhile, for Middlesbrough, Mark Schwarzer (gk) played a full game while Australian Under 23 Brad Jones (gk) remained on the bench. Liverpool is in a tight battle for the last Champions League spot and holding down 4th spot, but Newcastle United has a game in hand. Middlesbrough remains in 12th spot.   NATIONWIDE DIVISION ONE Date: 01-05-04 *         Socceroo Tony Popovic played a full game as Crystal Palace won 1-0 at home against Walsall. Palace improved its chance of a play-off berth as they now lie in 5th place with 1 game remaining. *         Socceroo Tony Vidmar played a full game and received a yellow card as Cardiff City drew 1-1 at home against Wimbledon. Cardiff will remain in the English Nationwide Division One next season as they currently lie in 11th position with one game remaining. *         Australian Under 23 Gareth Edds remained on the bench as Bradford City lost 2-0 at home against Stoke City. Bradford has already been relegated to Division Two. *         John Filan (gk) played a full game as Wigan Athletic lost 1-0 away to Nottingham Forest. The loss didn-t help Wigan-s promotion chances as they now lie in 7th position, 2 points away from a play-off berth with 1 game remaining.   NATIONWIDE DIVISION TWO Date: 01-05-04 *         Paul Reid played a full game as Brighton and Hove Albion won 1-0 at home against Notts County. Brighton has secured a play-off position with 1 game remaining. *         Les Pogliacomi (gk) played a full game and kept a clean sheet as Oldham Athletic won 2-0 at home against Chesterfield. Oldham is currently in 15th position and clear of the relegation zone. *         Chris Coyne played a full game as Luton Town won 3-2 at home against Sheffield Wednesday. Luton is in 10th position and is out of the running for a promotion play-off spot. *         Richard Johnson played a full game as QPR won 1-0 at home against Swindon Town. QPR is currently in 2nd spot a point ahead of 3rd place and looking to hold on for the 2nd automatic promotion place. *         Joel Porter played a full game as Hartlepool lost 3-1 at home against Nationwide Division Two champions Plymouth Argyle. Hartlepool is currently lying in 6th spot and is two points clear of 7th place in chasing a promotion play-off berth and needs a draw in the final game to secure a play-off spot.     NATIONWIDE DIVISION THREE Date: 01-05-04 *         Danny Allsopp played a full game and won the penalty for the opening goal as Hull City won 2-1 away to Yeovil town. Hull will finish the season in 2nd position and has secured automatic promotion to Division Two.   SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE Date: 01-05-04 *         Australian Under 23 Patrick Kisnorbo remained on the bench as Hearts won 2-0 away to Dundee United. Hearts is in 3rd position and three games remaining is looking fairly good to secure a UEFA Cup spot. *         Australian Under 23 Adrian Madaschi played a full game as Partick Thistle won 2-0 at home against Aberdeen. Meanwhile, for Aberdeen, Socceroo David Zdrilic also played a full game. Partick is 12th and in last position on the table and is already making plans for Division One next season. *         Australian Under 23 Scott McDonald came on in the 80th minute as Motherwell lost 4-0 away to Rangers. *         Danny Invincibile played a full game as Kilmarnock won 4-2 at home against Livingston. Meanwhile, for Livingston, Stuart Lovell also played full game. Kilmarnock jumps another place to 9th and is well clear of the only relegation spot with three games to go. Livingston is one place and one point above Kilmarnock.   SCOTTISH DIVISION TWO Date: 01-05-04 *         John Maisano played a full game while Marco Maisano remained on the bench as Greenock Morton lost 3-0 away to Dumbarton. Morton is currently in 2nd spot and in line for automatic promotion to Division One next season. With 2 games to go they are 3 points clear of 3rd place Hamilton. *          Scott McNicol played a full game as Forfar lost 2-1 at home against Arbroath. Forfar is currently in 6th position and well out of contention for promotion. ACTION IN EUROPE…   AUSTRIAN DIVISION ONE Date: 02-05-04 *         Joey Didulica (gk) played a full game as Austria Vienna won 2-1 away to Rapid Vienna. Vienna is in 2nd place, 3 points behind leaders Graz AK, with 3 games remaining. Date: 01-05-04 *         Eddy Bosnar remained on the bench as Sturm Graz drew 2-2 away to Mattersburg. Sturm is in 8th position and are 6 points clear of 10th place with 3 games remaining.   BELGIAN DIVISION ONE (JULIPER LEAGUE) Date: 02-05-04 *         Archie Thompson was replaced in the 74th minute as Lierse lost 2-1 away to Westerlo. Lierse will finish the season mid-table as they currently lie in 11th position on 36 points, with just two games remaining.   BELGIAN DIVISION TWO Date: 25-04-04 *         Socceroo Paul Okon played a full game as KV Oostende won 3-2 away to R.C.S Visetois. Oostende finished second, five points behind leaders Brussels, but have still gained automatic qualification to the Juliper League.   DANISH DIVISION ONE Date: 02-05-04 *         Australian Under 23 Shane Cansdell-Sherriff played a full game as AGF Aarhus lost 1-0 away to Brondby.   DUTCH DIVISION ONE (ERE DIVISIE) Date: 02-05-04 *         Lindsay Wilson played a full game as FC Volendam lost 5-0 at home against PSV Eindhoven. Volendam is currently 18th and is 2 points behind and needs to pick up points in its final 2 games to avoid automatic relegation to the 2nd Division. Date: 01-05-04 *         Peter Zois remained on the bench as Willem II won 3-0 at home against RBC Roosendaal. Is 7th with 2 games remaining.   DUTCH DIVISION TWO (GOUDEN GIDS DIVISIE) Date: 29-04-04 *         Australian Under 23 Brett Holman came on in the 58th minute and received a yellow card as Excelsior lost 3-2 away to Sparta Rotterdam. Excelsior is currently in 1st position, 2 points clear of second with 2 games remaining.   FRENCH DIVISION ONE Date: 01-05-04 *         Socceroo Mile Sterjovski came on in the 73rd minute as Lille lost 2-0 away to Nantes. Lille is currently lying in 12th position with 4 games to go.   GERMAN DIVISION ONE (BUNDESLIGA) Date: 01-05-04 *         Socceroo Paul Agostino played a full game and scored the opening goal in the 4th minute as 1860 Munich drew 1-1 at home against Bayer Leverkusen. Meanwhile, for Bayer, Frank Juric (gk) remained on the bench. 1860 has slipped to 16th position and subsequently in the relegation zone. They are 1 point behind the safety zone with 3 games to play. Bayer is sitting in 4th place and is in line for a UEFA Cup spot next season.   *         Josh Kennedy remained on the bench as FC Koln lost 2-1 at home against Bayern Munich. The loss means Koln will finish last and is relegated to the Bundesliga 2 next season.   GERMAN DIVISION TWO (2.BUNDESLIGA) Date: 02-05-04 *         Saso Radulovic played a full game as RW Oberhausen drew 2-2 away to Union Berlin. Oberhausen are in 6th place, level on points with Christophe Teinert and FSV Mainz 05, who are in 5th place. Both teams are 3 points away from 3rd place and the last automatic promotion place.   GREEK DIVISION ONE Date: 02-05-04 *         Kyriakos Tohouroglou (gk) played a full game as PAOK Saloniki lost 1-0 away to Panionios. PAOK is currently in 3rd position and should stay there with just 2 games remaining and will qualify for the UEFA Cup.   ITALIAN DIVISION ONE (SERIE A) Date: 01-05-04 *         Socceroo Zeljko Kalac played a full game as Perugia won 1-0 at home against Juventus. Perugia is in 17th position and need to win their final 2 games of the season to have any hope of escaping relegation. *         Socceroo Marco Bresciano played a full game and scored the third goal of the game in the 28th minute as Parma won 3-1 at home against Ancona. Parma currently lies in 4th position with 2 games remaining and chasing a European Champions League spot next season. *         Socceroo Vince Grella received a yellow card and was replaced in the 82nd minute as Empoli won 2-0 at home against Bologna. Empoli are in 16th two points away from escaping relegation with 2 remaining.   ITALIAN DIVISION TWO (SERIE B) Date: 02-05-04 *         Max Vieri remained on the bench as Napoli won 2-1 away to Pescara.   MALTESE DIVISION ONE Date: 03-05-04 *         Peter Pullicino was replaced in the 74th minute as Hibernians lost 3-1 away to Sliema Wanderers.   NORWEGIAN DIVISION ONE (TIPPELIGAEN) Date: 02-05-04 *         Australian Under 23 Dylan MacAllister played a full game and received a yellow card as Brann Bergen drew 1-1 at home against Odd Grenland. *         Shane Stefanutto played a full game as Lillestrom drew 2-2 at home against Rosenberg.   ROMANIAN DIVISION ONE Date: 30-04-04 *         Daniel McBreen was replaced in the 79th minute as Universitatea Craiova drew 1-1 away to Poli AEK Timisoara.   SPANISH DIVISION ONE (PRIMERA LIGA) Date: 01-05-04 *         Socceroo John Aloisi came on in the 66th minute as Athletico Osasuna lost 2-1 at home against Racing Santander. The loss has dented Osasuna-s chances of playing in the UEFA Cup next season is now in 8th place and 3 points behind 6th place with 3 games remaining.   SWEDISH DIVISION ONE (ALLSVENSKAN) Date: 02-05-04 *         Ante Covic (gk) played a full game as Hammarby won 2-1 away to Orebro.   SWISS DIVISION ONE (SUPER LEAGUE) Date: 02-05-04 *         Socceroo Scott Chipperfield played a full game and scored in the 10th minute, as FC Basel won 2-0 away to FC Thun. The win clinched the Swiss Championship for Basel, with still four games to go. Date: 01-05-04 *         Joel Griffiths played a full game, as Neuchatel Xamax lost 1-0 at home to St.Gallen. Neuchatel is in 9th position and is currently in line to play in a play-off for promotion/relegation battle with the second team from the Swiss Second Division (Challenge League). It is four points behind eighth with four games remaining.   TURKISH DIVISION ONE (SUPER LIG) Date: 01-05-04 *         Socceroo Michael Petkovic (gk) played a full game as Trabzonspor won 2-1 away to Gazientepspor. Trabzonspor are in 2nd place, 2 points behind leaders Fenerbeche, with 2 games remaining. Trabzonspor has guaranteed entry to the Champions League next season, as they are 9 points clear of 3rd place.   ACTION IN ASIA…   MALAYSIAN FA CUP 3rd Round 1st Leg Date: 28-04-04 *         Travis Dodd played a full game and scored the opening goal in the 34th minute as Johor FC lost 3-2 away to Selangor MPPJ *         Robbie Gaspar started but was replaced as Sabah earned a 1-1 draw away at Perlis.   SINGAPORE DIVISION ONE (S-LEAGUE) Date: 01-05-04 *         Jon Angelucci played a full game as Singapore Armed Forces won 1-0 away at Sinchi FC. Date: 30-04-04 *         Alex Duric played a full game as Geylang United won 2-1 away at Tanjong Pagar United.