Jackson Irvine set up both goals as St Pauli claimed an important 2-0 win over Hoffenheim to leapfrog their opponents into 15th in the German Bundesliga on Saturday.
The Australian midfielder played a full game for newly-promoted St Pauli, having a key say in the result in a season where they’re likely to battle the drop.
Irvine did well down the right side to open his body to receive a pass and create space, before whipping in a low cross which was fired home by Oladapo Afolayan with a bouncing volley.
The Socceroo made the crucial pass for the second as St Pauli streaked forward in a 3-on-1 in the 93rd minute, making the right decision with the correct weight for Andreas Albers to shoot home first time.
In Germany’s Regionalliga Bayern, Nestory Irankunda scored his fourth goal of the season as Bayern Munich II won 5-2 over Wacker Burghausen.
Irankunda netted only two minutes after being substituted on, firing home in the 68th minute with a low shot, after using his pace to get in behind the defence.
The ex-Adelaide United man has scored four times in 11 appearances for Bayern II.
Nestory Irankunda was subbed on in the 66th minute.
He scored 2 minutes later for Bayern Munich. pic.twitter.com/P2RSMGd8AS
— Sacha Pisani (@Sachk0) November 2, 2024
Mitchell Langerak signed off on his time with Nagoya Grampus with silverware, playing a crucial role in their penalty shootout win over Thomas Deng’s Albirex Niigata in Japan’s Levain Cup final.
Langerak coolly converted Nagoya’s second spotkick in the shootout, straight after he dived the right way as Motoki Nagakura’s penalty went wide for Albirex.
Deng, who was an 114th minute sub for Niigata, took his side’s third spotkick which he converted.
Nagoya manager Kenta Hasegawa praised goalkeeper Langerak after the game for his role in the cup triumph.
“We have Mitch in our goal and I backed our chance if it were to go to penalties,” Hasegawa said, according to Kyodo News. “The Nagoya fans kept cheering us on till the end in the rain and it was great to see their smiles.”
Aiden O’Neill got an assist as Standard Liege edged Sint Truiden in Belgium’s top flight on Saturday. O’Neill played a full game.
Jordan Bos was a 74th minute sub for Westerlo in their 2-0 home win over Dender on Friday night.
Max Balard put in a full shift in NAC Brda’s 2-0 loss to Heracles in the Dutch Eredivisie.
Denis Genreau missed Toulouse’s 1-0 home win over Reims to be with his wife who is imminently due to give birth to their child.
Mat Ryan warmed the bench again as AS Roma lost 3-2 at Verona in Italy’s Serie A on Sunday.
Ajdin Hrustic played a full game for Salernitana in a 1-1 draw at Cosenza in Serie B, while Cristian Volpato was absent for Sassuolo’s 1-0 victory over Mantova.
Mohamed Toure provided an assist and scored a goal of his own in Randers’ 4-1 victory at SonderjyskE which lifted them up to third in the Danish Superliga.
Toure sent Tammer Bany through deep to open the scoring in the 10th minute. Bany supplied the pass for Toure’s goal four minutes later on the right side of the box, with the Australian’s shot going in at the near post.
Paul Izzo played his part for Randers with a full shift in goals.
John Iredale made it two goals in two league games with a strike in AaB’s 3-3 draw with Vejle on Sunday.
Iredale put his side 2-1 up in the 51st minute, swooping on a loose ball following a corner. Iredale started and played 86 minutes for AaB.
Cam Burgess earned a 7/10 rating for Ipswich Town in their 1-1 home draw with Leicester City in the English Premier League on Saturday.
Burgess started and played the full 90 minutes, where the Tractor Boys conceded late to miss out on their maiden win of the new campaign.
East Anglian Daily Times rated Burgess 7/10 and wrote: “Passes were a little all over the place, but his work off the ball was good.
“Made a vital block on the line in the 86th minute to prevent a goal, but obviously it didn’t count for much in the end.”
Alex Robertson missed Cardiff City’s last-gasp 2-1 win over Norwich City in the English Championship due to a hamstring concern.
Caretaker Bluebirds boss Omer Riza explained post-game: “He picked up a little bit of tightness in his hamstring. Nothing too serious. We’ll monitor him through today, tomorrow and the middle of the week and see where we get to by Wednesday.”
He added: “It’s precautionary, obviously he’s had issues with that hamstring before. He’s played a lot of games, he played the last 5-6 games he started.
“And he’s covered a lot of distance. I think he’s covered 10-11 kilometres every game. There’s a lot of work going into those legs. It was best today (to rest him)… It’s important we use the whole squad.”
Harry Souttar continued his strong displays with a 7.5/10 rating for Sheffield United in their 2-0 win at Blackburn Rovers.
The Star wrote about Souttar, who put in a full shift: “Another comfortable afternoon for the big man who eased his way through the game to rack up another clean sheet.
“Made a great defensive tackle to snuff out danger as Ohashi looked to race away but he’d have had his heart in his mouth moments later when a rare error allowed the ball to bounce through to the back post, where Hedges somehow fluffed his lines and didn’t take advantage.”
Riley McGree was rated 6/10 in his 75-minute performance in Middlesbrough’s 3-0 home loss to Coventry City.
Teesside Live wrote: “Particularly in the second half as he took up a more central role closer to Conway, he looked lively and tried to make things happen for his side.
“With the man disadvantage not helping, it was one of those days where, despite his intent, little came off.”
Kusini Yengi made his first start of the season but struggled for impact, before being replaced in the 67th minute of Portsmouth’s 1-1 draw at Hull City. Sam Silvera was a 75th minute sub.
Portsmouth News rated Yengi 5/10 and wrote: “Given his first Championship start following an injury-hit start to the season but looked sluggish and too often caught on his heels.
“Had an awful second-half free-kick, but a strong penalty appeal turned down after Hughes tumbled into him.”
In Scotland’s League Cup semi-finals, Apostolos Stamatelopoulos started and played 63 minutes as Motherwell let slip a lead to go down 2-1 to Rangers. Johnny Koutroumbis was an unused sub.
In Scotland’s Premiership on Sunday, Lewis Miller scored in struggling Hibernian’s 1-1 draw with Dundee United.
After fluffing a chance following Jordan Obita’s cutback, Miller scored in the 28th minute, rising at the back post to bullet a header in.
Miller started and played 61 minutes, replaced by Jack Iredale. Nectar Triantis played a full game and Martin Boyle started and got through 94 minutes. For United, Ryan Strain started and played the first half.
Others
Full games
Kye Rowles (Hearts), Josh Nisbet (Ross County), Fran Karacic (Lokomotiva), Jonathan Aspropotamitis (Pohang Steelers), Connor Chapman (Gimpo Citizen)
Minutes
Anthony Kalik – ST 61 (Hajduk Split), Gianni Stensness – ST 46, Nick D’Agostino – SB 64 (both Viking), Jacob Italiano – SB 42 (Grazer AK), Alex Gersbach – ST 58 (Kalmar), Cam Devlin – SB 57 (Hearts), Callum Elder – SB 46 (Derby County), Henry Hore – SB 61 (Gangwon), Craig Goodwin – ST 65 (Al Wehda), Mitch Duke – ST 46 (Machida Zelvia), Peter Makrillos – ST 46 (Suwon Bluewings)
Notable absentees
Awer Mabil (Grasshoppers)