Aussies Abroad: McDonald scores

Scott McDonald rediscovers his goal-scoring touch, Kennedy scores the winner and Schwarzer still at the top of his game.

Forgotten Socceroos striker Scott McDonald showed he had rediscovered his goal-scoring touch with a double for Middlesbrough in their 2-2 draw with Blackpool in the nPower Championship.

The 28-year-old, who has not featured in Holger Osieck's recent national squads, combined with Socceroos defender Rhys Williams for his second and has now netted three times in his past two matches.

Meanwhile, Neil Kilkenny set up the opening goal in resurgent Bristol City's 2-1 win at Millwall.

The former Leeds United player threaded a ball behind the Millwall defence and Nicky Maynard lashed home a powerful strike for the first of his two goals in south London.

The win was City's second on the trot and moved the club within a win of moving out of the relegation zone.

In Holland, Brett Holman's AZ Alkmaar had their progress at the top of the Eeredivisie stalled by thick fog in Rotterdam.

With the scoreline at 0-0 at half-time at Excelsior, the match had to be abandoned.

AZ Alkmaar's lead at the top of the Dutch top-flight over PSV Eindhoven was cut to three points although Holman's side has a game in hand.

In Japan, Josh Kennedy scored the winner for Nagoya Grampus in their 2-1 win over Yokohama Marinos.

In the Barclays Premier League, Mark Schwarzer continued to defy father time by producing a stunning save for Fulham in their 0-0 draw at Sunderland.

In his 40th year and 450th EPL appearance, Australia's most-capped player produced the sort of stop that makes it so hard to look past him for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

He instinctively blocked Stephane Sessegnon's goal-bound shot with his leg despite being sent the wrong way by a wicked deflection in injury time at the Stadium of Light.

One person who can't wait to see the back of Schwarzer is Sunderland manager Steve Bruce.

"Schwarzer, how often has he done that against me?" he said.

"I don't know, but it was a quite remarkable save.

"I thought it was a certainty."

Fulham manager Martin Jol said he had come to expect such efforts.

"He does that all the time," he said.

"He's got a lot of experience and great quality, so I am happy he is our goalkeeper."

Tim Cahill's frustrating run in front of goal for Everton continued in his club's much-needed 2-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Goodison Park.

The Socceroos star has been restricted by niggling injuries and not found the back of the net for Everton in 11 months despite plenty of close shaves this season.

Matt McKay started for Rangers in his return to club football but his Scottish Premier League side were held to a goalless draw by St Johnstone at Ibrox.

Rangers manager Ally McCoist threw McKay, who made his run-on debut for Rangers two weeks ago, into the fray from the onset once again.

However this time McKay, who played in both of Australia's recent World Cup qualifiers against Oman and Thailand, struggled to impose himself on the contest.

The former Brisbane Roar captain struck a handful of useful crosses but was substituted in the 64th minute.

It was a frustrating weekend for many of Australia's players based in Europe.

The likes of Mitch Langerak, Nikita Rukavytsya, David Carney, Robbie Kruse and James Troisi failed to make it off the bench for their respective clubs while Carl Valeri was substituted after 63 minutes in Sassuolo's draw with Brescia in Serie B.