Mat Ryan continued his good form in France, while there was good injury news for Connor Metcalfe and Kusini Yengi plus a goal for Martin Boyle.
Mat Ryan kept a second straight clean sheet for Lens in their 1-0 home win over Rennes in the French Ligue 1.
Ryan made five saves in Saturday’s game for eighth-placed Lens. He’s now kept four clean sheets in six games since moving to Lens from AS Roma where he played only once in six months.
À 𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒄 🤚
Le Racing a réalisé un 1⃣1⃣e clean sheet cette saison, plus que toute autre équipe de @Ligue1. #FiersDEtreLensois #RCLSRFC pic.twitter.com/6EAlsvyk1I
— Racing Club de Lens (@RCLens) March 16, 2025
Connor Metcalfe was back on the St Pauli bench following his long-term groin injury dating back to September, but didn’t play as St Pauli claimed an important 1-0 win over Hoffenheim on Friday.
Jackson Irvine played a full game for St Pauli, who moved five points clear of 16th-placed VfL Bochum in the relegation playoff spot.
Irvine almost scored in the 58th minute with a header from a corner, which was well saved by the Hoffenheim keeper.
Nestory Irankunda started and played 84 minutes as Grasshoppers grabbed a late equalizer to draw 1-1 with Sion in the Swiss Sper League.
Irankunda had a first-half chance saved by the Sion keeper, before coming to life just after the half hour.
First Irankunda fired wide, before creating another opportunity for himself in the 36th minute when he stole possession, with his strike cannoning into the crossbar.
Cameron Burgess got some game time in the Englis Premier League for Ipswich Town, coming on at half-time in their 4-2 home loss to Nottingham Forest.
Burgess replaced fellow defender Jacob Greaves at the break with the Tractor Boys 3-0 down.
The East Anglian Daily Times rated Burgess 6/10 and wrote: “A clear improvement on Jacob Greaves, but Forest took their foot off the gas in the second half.”
Kusini Yengi made his first start since recovering form a knee injury, playing 68 minutes in Portsmouth’s 2-1 loss away to Preston north End in the English Championship.
The Portsmouth News rated Yengi 5/10 and wrote: “His first Pompey start since November and third outing overall since then, so perhaps understandably frustratingly a little sluggish. Second best with everything he tried for most of the first half, but upped his game after the break and put himself about more.”
Thomas Waddingham was a 92nd minute sub for Pompey too.
Martin Boyle made it two goals in three games, making it 14 for the season, in Hibernian’s 1-1 draw at Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership.
Boyle, who played 87 minutes, struck in the 25th minute on a three-on-one swift counter-attack with a cool finish under the goalkeeper.
Newly called-up Socceroo Nectar Triantis along with Lewis Miller and Jack Iredale played full games for Hibs.
Triantis earned a 7.5/10 rating from Edinburgh Evening News who wrote: “Impressive on the ball – and might have scored a couple. A good way to mark his first World Cup call-up for the Socceroos.”
Jordan Bos (hamstring) missed Westerlo’s 2-1 win at Beerschot int h Belgian Pro League while Rhys Youlley was left out.
Following last week’s red card, Aiden O’Neill was suspended for Standard Liege’s 0-0 draw with Antwerp.
Max Balard put in a full shift as NAC Breda drew 1-1 at Almere City in the Dutch Eredivisie on Friday.
Kye Rowles played his part as DC United kept a clean sheet, putting in a full shift in a 0-0 home draw with Montreal in the MLS.
Patrick Yazbek started and played 84 minutes in Nashville’s 3-1 win at Philadelphia Union.
Others
Full games
Paul Izzo (Randers), Ryan Strain (Dundee United), Fran Karacic (Lokomotiva), Milos Degenek (TSC), Josh Nisbet (Ross County), Callum Elder (Derby County), Jonathan Aspropotamitis (Pohang Steelers), Connor Chapman (Gimpo Citizen), Jason Geria (Albirex Niigata)
Minutes
Cristian Volpato – ST 71 (Sassuolo), Mohamed Toure – SB 46 (Randers), Anthony Kalik – ST 46 (Hajduk Split), Calum Nieuwenhof – SB 66 (Hearts), Keanu Baccus – ST 92 (Mansfield), Caleb Watts – SB 64 (Exeter City), John Iredale – ST 46 (Seoul E-Land)
Unused subs
John Koutroumbis (Motherwell), Ajdin Hrustic (Salernitana), Raphael Borges Rodrigues (Coventry), Tom Glover (Middlesbrough), Gethin Jones (Bolton), Nicholas Bilokapic (Peterborough), Jacob Chapman (Huddersfield), Mitch Duke (Machida Zelvia)
