Action Abroad - 24-05-05

Scott McDonald stole the headlines on the weekend, with his two late strikes denying Celtic the Scottish Championship. Click here to see how Scott and the remaining Aussies Abroad fared over the past week.

ACTION IN THE UK….

ENGLISH LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP Play-off Semi Final - 2nd Leg Date: 18-05-05 *        Qantas Young Socceroo Trent McClenahan was not in the West Ham squad that won 2-0 away at Ipswich to progress to the Championship Play-off Final against Preston.

ENGLISH LEAGUE ONE Play-off Semi Final - 2nd Leg Date: 17-05-05 *       Joel Porter came on in the 72nd minute, as Hartlepool lost 2-0 away at Tranmere. The tie finished 2-2 on aggregate, with Hartlepool advancing to the League One Play-off Final with a 6-5 penalty shootout victory.

ENGLISH LEAGUE TWO Play-off Semi Final - 2nd Leg Date: 21-05-05 *        Predrag Bojic was not in the Northampton squad that lost 1-0 away at Southend. Northampton lost 1-0 on aggregate to miss the chance for promotion to League One next season.

SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE Championship Series Date: 22-05-05 *       Scott McDonald (pictured above right) played a full game and scored in the 88th and 90th minutes, as Motherwell won 2-1 at home to deny Celtic the Scottish Championship. Motherwell finished in 6th place. Relegation Series Date: 21-05-05 *       Danny Invincibile (shin stress fracture) was not in the Kilmarnock squad that won 4-0 at home against Dunfermline. Kilmarnock finished in 7th place.

ACTION IN EUROPE…

BELGIAN CUP Semi Final - 2nd Leg 20-05-05 *         Qantas Socceroo Archie Thompson did not play, as Lierse lost 1-0 away at Club Brugge, to lose 2-0 on aggregate.

BELGIAN RESULTS Date: 21-05-05 *        Qantas Socceroo Paul Okon, Adam Griffiths and Brendan Santalab all played full games, with Santalab scoring in the 44th minute, as Oostende drew 1-1 at home against Standard Liege. For Liege, Michael Turnbull (gk) remained on the bench. Oostende finished in 17th place and is relegated back to the Belgian 2nd Division next season, while Liege finished in 3rd and qualified for the UEFA Cup next season. *        Qantas Socceroo Archie Thompson was replaced in the 84th minute, but not before scoring in the 19th and 51st minutes in his final game for the club, as Lierse won 7-0 at home against La Louviere. Lierse remains in 10th place. *       Andrew Vlahos came on in the 84th minute, as Cercle Brugge lost 3-1 at home against Racing Genk. Cercle has slipped to 11th place. *       Qantas Socceroo Stephen Laybutt did not play, as AA Gent won 1-0 at home against Westerlo. For Westerlo, Qantas Socceroo Alex Brosque came on in the 76th minute. Gent finished in 6th place, while Westerlo has finished in 12th place.

DANISH SUPERLIGAEN Date: 22-05-05 *        Qantas Under 23 Shane Cansdell-Sherriff played a full game, as AGF Aarhus lost 2-1 away at FC Nordsjaelland. AGF is in 9th position, but is well clear of relegation zone with five games remaining.

DUTCH EREDIVISE Date: 22-05-05 *        Peter Zois (gk) remained on the bench, as Willem II won 3-0 at home against RKC Waalwijk. Willem finished in 10th place. *        Qantas Socceroo Jason Culina played a full game, as Twente Enschede drew 1-1 away at NAC Breda. Twente finished in 6th place.

DUTCH GOLDEN GIDS Date: 20-05-05 *        Qantas Under 23 Brett Holman played a full game, as Excelsior lost 5-3 at home against FC Zwolle. Excelsior finished in 12th place. *       Lindsay Wilson played a full game, as Helmond Sport WON 1-0 at home against VVV-Venlo. Helmond finished in 6th place.

GERMAN BUNDESLIGA Date: 21-05-05 *        Frank Juric (gk) remained on the bench, as Hannover 96 drew 0-0 away at Hertha Berlin. Hannover finished in 10th *       Christophe Teinert was not in the squad, as FSV Mainz 05 won 2-1 away at FC Nurnberg. Mainz finished in 11th place.

GERMAN BUNDESLIGA 2 Date: 22-05-05 *        Qantas Socceroo Paul Agostino came on in the 57thd minute, as 1860 Munich lost 4-3 at home against LR Ahlen. 1860 finished in 4th place and missed out promotion back to the Bundesliga. *        Peter Buljan did not play, as FC Saarbrucken drew 1-1 at home against SV Enitracht Trier. Saarburcken finished in 12th place. *        Joshua Kennedy played a full game, as Dynamo Dresden won 2-1 at home against FC Rot-Weib Erfurt. Dynamo finished in 8th place.

ITALIAN SERIE A Date: 22-05-05 *        Socceroos Marco Bresciano was replaced by fellow Qamtas Socceroo Vince Grella in the 84th minute, as Parma drew 0-0 at home with Siena. With one game to go, Parma has slipped to 17th place and is now just one point clear of the relegation zone.

ITALIAN SERIE B Date: 22-05-05 *        Qantas Socceroo Max Vieri was not in the Ternana squad that drew 1-1 away at Pescara. With three games remaining, Ternana remains in 11th place. *        Jess Vanstrattan (gk) was not in the Verona squad that drew 0-0 away at Vicenza. Verona remains in 8th place. *         Qantas Socceroo Zeljko Kalac (gk) played a full game, as Perugia won 1-0 at home against Arezzo. Perugia remains in 4th place, two points behind 3rd place and promotion back to the Serie A.

NORWAY TIPPELIGAEN Date: 22-05-05 *       Dylan Macallister remained on the bench, as Brann lost 3-2 away at Start. *         Kasey Wehrman and Shane Stefanutto both played full games, with Wehrman receiving a yellow card, while Sasa Radulovic did not play, as Lillestrom won 2-1 at home against Valerenga.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND PREMIER DIVISION Date: 20-05-05 *        Qantas Young Socceroo Chris O-Connor (gk) played a full game, as Bray Wanderers lost 2-1 away at Bohemians.

ROMANIAN DIVIZIA A Date: 22-05-05 *         Qantas Socceroo Jon McKain and Michael Thwaite both played full games; Wayne Srhoj was replaced in the 71st minute, while Qantas Under 23 Ryan Griffiths came on in the 61st minute and received a yellow card, as FC National won 1-0 away at CFR-Ecomax Cluj-Napoca. With two games to go, FC National is in 4th place, just two points behind 3rd place and in a position to play European football next season. Date: 18-05-05 *        Qantas Socceroo Jon McKain, Wayne Srhoj and Michael Thwaite all played full games, while Qantas Under 23 Ryan Griffiths did not play, as FC National won 1-0 at home against Steaua Bucuresti.

SPAIN PRIMERA LIGA Date: 22-05-05 *        Qantas Socceroo John Aloisi came on in the 79th minute, as Osasuna drew 1-1 at home with Espanyol. With one game remaining, Osasuna has jumped one place to 14th.

SPANISH SEGUNDA DIVISION Date: 22-05-05 *        Jose Bello Amigo (gk) played a full game, as Racing Ferrol lost 3-0 away at Ciudad Murcia. Ferrol has slipped to 14th place, with four games remaining.

SWEDISH ALLSVENSKAN Date: 23-05-05 *       Ante Covic (gk) played a full game, as Hammarby lost 4-1 away at IF Elfsborg. Date: 18-05-05 *       Ante Covic (gk) played a full game, as Hammarby won 2-1 at home against Djurgardens IF FF.

SWEDISH SUPERETTAN Date: 22-05-05 *       Chey Hews was replaced in the 75th minute, as Vastra Frolunda lost 4-0 at home against GAIS. Date: 17-05-05 *       Chey Hews played a full game, as Vastra Frolunda lost 3-1 away at IFK Norrkoping.

SWISS NATIONALIGA Date: 22-05-05 *        Joel Griffiths (suspended) did not play, as Neuchatel Xamax lost 2-1 at home against Zurich. With two games remaining, Neuchatel is in 6th place. *         Qantas Socceroo Ljubo Milicevic (ill) did not play, as FC Thun won 3-0 at home against St Gallen. With no games remaining, Thun will finish in 2nd place and secured a place in Europe next season. Date: 21-05-05 *         Qantas Socceroo Scott Chipperfield did not play, while Qantas Socceroo Mile Sterjovski played a full game, as FC Basel lost 4-1 away at Grasshopper. Basel is in 1st place and already secured the Swiss Championship, with one game remaining. Date: 18-05-05 *        Qantas Socceroo Ljubo Milicevic played a full game and received a yellow card, as FC Thun lost 6-3 away at Zurich. *        Joel Griffiths played a full game and received a yellow card, as Neuchatel Xamax lost 5-0 away at St Gallen.

TURKISH 1.SUPER LEAGUE Date: 22-05-05 *       Michael Petkovic (gk) did not play, as Trabzonspor won 3-0 at home against Samsunspor. With one game remaining, Trabzonspor has jumped into 2nd place, in the battle for the second Champions League place for next season. They are already guaranteed a place in the UEFA Cup. *         Qantas Socceroo Josip Skoko did not play, as Genclerbirligi drew 1-1 away at Denizli. Genclerbirligi remains in 6th place and is one point behind in the battle for an Intertoto Cup place for next season. Date: 21-05-05 *         Jason Petkovic (gk) remained on the bench, as Konyaspor drew 1-1 away at Konyaspor. Konyaspor remains in 10th place.

ACTION IN ASIA…

MALAYSIAN SUPER LEAGUE Date: 21-05-05 *         Ante Juric played a full game, as Pahang drew 1-1 away at MPPJ.

SINGAPORE S-LEAGUE Date: 19-05-05 *         Alex Duric played a full game, as Singapore Armed Forces won 1-0 away at Home United. Date: 18-05-05 *         Christian Cevenini was not in the squad, as Geylang United lost 4-1 away at Albirex Niigata FC. Date: 17-05-05 *        Jon Angelucci played a full game and scored in the 24th and 33rd minutes, as Woodlands Wellington won 3-1 at home against Sinchi FC.