Aussies on target
Qantas Socceroos Harry Kewell, Scott McDonald and Scott Chipperfield were all on target for their clubs over the weekend with the European season well and truly underway.
Qantas Socceroos Harry Kewell, Scott McDonald and Scott Chipperfield were all on target for their clubs over the weekend with the European season well and truly underway.
Kewell, who has been eased back into the frame at Galatasaray by coming off the bench in the opening rounds of the season, started and scored twice from the penalty spot as they won 4-1 at home against Denzilipsor. Kewell converted the first spot kick on the stroke of half time and then again in the 67th minute and also laid on the second goal with a perfect corner.
McDonald played an hour of Celtic-s game against Aberdeen and scored the side-s third goal just before half time in a comfortable 3-1 win. Celtic was already two goals to the good, when the Qantas Socceroos striker capitalised on a poor clearance to slam home from 10 yards.
Chipperfield meanwhile scored the equalising goal for FC Basel after 24 minutes in their match against Grasshoppers in Switzerland, but it didn-t prove to be enough with Grasshoppers winning 3-1 with two second half goals. Chipperfield played a full game.
It was the kick-off of the English Premier League season and only two Aussies saw action, with midweek goalscoring hero Tim Cahill not enjoying his first match of the season, with Everton smashed 6-1 at home by Arsenal. Mark Schwarzer fared better and kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 away win at Portsmouth. Vince Grella stayed on the bench for Blackburn Rovers in a 2-0 home loss to Manchester City. Brett Emerton and Richard Garcia are injured.
In the Championship, only Rhys Williams saw game time, playing a full game in Middlesbrough-s 3-0 win over Swansea City. Nick Carle remained on the bench for the second week running, as Crystal Palace lost 1-0 at Bristol City and David Carney, despite his gem of a goal against Republic of Ireland midweek, could not even get a place on Sheffield United-s squad in a 2-0 win against Watford.
In Holland, Brett Holman was replaced in the 56th minute, as AZ Alkmaar ran riot over RKC Waalwijk to win 6-0, while Nikita Rukavytsya was not in the FC Twente squad that won 1-0 at ADO Den Hagg.
Luke Wilkshire continues to play a key role for his Russian side Dinamo Moscow, putting in another full shift in a 1-0 win at FK Rostov-Na-Donu.
In Scotland, Danny Invincibile wasn-t included in the Kilmarnock squad after his sudden call up to the Qantas Socceroos for the midweek international against Ireland, in a 3-0 win over Hamilton Academical. For Hamilton though, James Wesolowski made his debut after his recent signing, playing 90 minutes, while Australian Under 23 international Trent McClenahan didn-t play because of injury.
In Turkey, Mile Jedinak again had to be content with a place on the bench and came on in the 75th minute in Genclerbirligi-s 1-1 draw away at Ankaraspor. But at least he is getting a run, as Bruce Djite was unable to get any game time with Genclerbirligi at the moment. Michael Petkovic played a full game in a 3-0 away loss to Fenerbahce. James Troisi played 57 minutes in Kayserispor's 1-1 draw with Gaziantepspor.
Aussie pair Matt Spiranovic and Dario Vidosic again did not feature for FC Nurnberg in the German Bundesliga, in a 1-1 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt.
In the Sweden, Ante Covic played a full game as IF Elfsborg won 3-2 against his old side Hammarby, while Michael Beauchamp, who has attracted interest from Gold Coast, did not feature for his Danish club AaB in a 1-0 win against Sonderjyske.
Mark Bresciano played in Palermo-s 4-2 win in the Coppa Italia tie against Spal.