On Sunday, Martin Boyle continued his resurgent form with a double for Hibernian in a 3-3 draw with Rangers in the Scottish Premiership.
Trailing 2-0, Boyle pulled a goal back with a low left-foot shot in the 32rd minute, before equalizing from the penalty spot on the hour.
The Socceroo earned an 8/10 rating from Edinburgh Evening News who wrote: “ Took first goal brilliantly and buried the second from the penalty spot. Then won the corner for the third.
“A constant menace. Just edges out a number of team-mates for Man of the Match.”
Boyle put in a full shift along with Jack Iredale, Lewis Miller and Nectar Triantis. Triantis was rated 7.5/10, while Iredale and Miller were both 6.5/10.
Kye Rowles and Cameron Devlin played full games for Hearts in their 1-0 victory at Dundee United, for whom Ryan Strain put in a full 90-minute shift. Rowles was rated 7/10 and Devlin 6/10.
Josh Nisbet started and played 75 minutes in Ross County’s 1-0 win at Kilmarnock.
Denis Genreau was an 83rd minute substitute for Toulouse in their 1-0 win at Lens in the French Ligue 1.
Socceroos teenage sensation Nestory Irankunda has signed with Swiss Super League club Grasshoppers on loan from Bayern Munich for the rest of the season.
The loan move comes after the 18-year-old forward played 15 games, scoring four goals with four assists for Bayern II this season in the Regionalliga Bayern.
The teenager had recently revealed on Paramount+’s game day A-League coverage that he was in talks about a loan move, expressing his desire to play at a higher level.
Upon the completion of the deal, Irankunda told the Grasshoppers website: “This is a great opportunity for me to continue my development in Switzerland’s highest league. I am very happy to be at GC Zurich.”
Sporting director Stephan Schwarz added: “Nestory Irankunda is a young and exciting talent with dynamism and the ability to ignite the attack.”
Irankunda joins Socceroo Awer Mabil at Grasshoppers, with the duo both being Africa-born ex-Adelaide United stars.
The loan deal runs until the end of June 2025, allowing him to play in the Swiss top flight with Grasshoppers currently battling relegation.
Nestory Irankunda is a Grasshopper 🔵⚪#gczürich #immerwiiter pic.twitter.com/DiV9L19FBv
— Grasshopper Club Zürich (@gc_zuerich) January 4, 2025
In the English Championship, Tom Glover impressed again for Middlebrough as they drew 1-2 with Cardiff City on Saturday.
Evening Gazette rated him 7/10 and wrote: “Nothing he could do about the goal and was largely untested otherwise.
“One smart early save as he was alert to a long-range Chambers effort. A couple of good punches and collects from crosses.”
In League One, Ash Maynard-Brewer and Jacob Chapman kept clean sheets for Charlton and Huddersfield in 0-0 draws respectively.
Caleb Watts started and played 64 minutes in Exeter City’s 2-1 home loss to Bolton, while Nicholas Bilokapic put in a full shift in Peterborough’s 1-0 loss at Wrexham.
