Awer Mabil made his return after almost four months out with a quad injury in Grasshoppers’ 3-2 away defeat to Yverdon in the Swiss Super League on Sunday.
Mabil was an 84th minute sub in the loss, where compatriot Joshua Laws had been sent off in the 22nd minute, leaving Grasshoppers with only 10 men for the majority of the game.
It was the second time in four games that Laws had been given his marching orders.
Mabil missed Australia’s 2023 Asian Cup campaign due to the quad injury which was sustained in a 1-0 loss to FC Basel on December 10 when he was withdrawn in the 12th minute.
22' Rote Karte für Joshua Laws. Die Hoppers nun in Unterzahl. #ysgcz 1:0*
— Grasshopper Club Zürich (@gc_zuerich) April 7, 2024
Jackson Irvine netted his fourth goal of the German 2.Bundesliga season but it came as St Pauli’s promotion aspirations copped a blow with a 2-1 loss at sixth-placed Karlsruhe SC.
Irvine levelled the game at 1-1 in the 37th minute, powerfully nodding in Marcel Hartel’s corner. But Paul Nebel came up with a 69th minute winner for the hosts.
The result means leaders St Pauli have their advantage cut to two points from second-placed Holstein Kiel. Third-placed Hamburg are nine points back with six games to play, with the top two automatically promoted.
Irvine put in a full shift while Connor Metcalfe was absent due to suspension.
Mat Ryan had a rough week as AZ Alkmaar shipped 10 goals in two games, including Saturday’s 5-1 loss to PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch Eredivisie where he put in a full shift.
Elsewhere, Ajdin Hrustic played a full game as Heracles pulled away from relegation with a 2-1 win away to Sparta Rotterdam.
Alessandro Circati put in a full shift for Parma who drew 0-0 at midtable Sudtirol in Italy’s Serie B. Ladder leaders Parma have only one point from their past two games but still are five points clear.
Kusini Yengi started and played 63 minutes as Portsmouth edged to within one win of automatic promotion after a 3-1 home victory over Shrewsbury Town in England’s League One.
Kye Rowles and Cammy Devlin both played full games as Hearts won 2-1 at St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership.
Rowles earned a 7/10 rating from the Edinburgh Evening News, who wrote: “Didn’t put a foot wrong. Read St Mirren’s long forward balls well.”
Devlin earned a 6/10: “Stepped in for Beni Baningime. Typical energy and aggression. Gave the ball away at times.”
Nathaniel Atkinson made a cameo as a 73rd minute sub, while Keanu Baccus was a half-time sub for the Saints.
Ryan Strain was absent for St Mirren after returning from injury last week with 45 minutes. Strain said during the week: “I’ve come off a long injury so I have to get my fitness back and hopefully I can play longer next time out.
“You can run as much as you want in training but match fitness is big so I can’t wait to get more games under my belt and get back to it.”
Others
Full games
Jason Davidson (KAS Eupen), Martin Boyle, Nectar Triantis (both Hibernian), Ryan McGowan (St Johnstone), Tete Yengi (Livingston), Cam Burgess (Ipswich Town), Lachlan Jackson (Suwon), Alexandar Popovic (Gwangju), Aaron Calver (Daejeon Citizen), Thomas Deng (Albirex Niigata), Trent Sainbury (Al Wakrah)
Minutes
Ryan Edwards – SB 63 (Amorebieta), John Iredale – SB 63 (Wehen Wiesbaden), Tyrese Francois – ST 82 (Vejle), Anthony Kalik – ST 68 (Hajduk Split), Patrick Yazbek – ST 88, Gianni Stensness – SB 88, Nick D’Agostino – SB 88 (all Viking), Massimo Luongo – ST 75 (Ipswich Town), Sam Silvera – SB 82 (Middlesbrough), Jake Iredale – ST 90+10 (Bolton), Mohamed Toure – SB 80 (Paris FC), Peter Makrillos – SB 52 (Seoul E-Land), Mitch Duke – SB 89 (Machida Zelvia), Craig Goodwin – SB 46 (Al Wehda), Brad Smith – SB 62 (Houston Dynamo)
Unused subs
Cristian Volpato (Sassuolo), James Holland (Austria Vienna), Ash Maynard-Brewer (Charlton), Tom Glover (Middlesbrough), Nicholas Bilokapic (Peterborough United), Jonathan Aspropotamitis (Pohang Steelers)
Notable absentees
Joe Gauci (Aston Villa), Harry Souttar (Leicester City), Denis Genreau (Toulouse), Garang Kuol (FC Volendam), Mitch Langerak (Nagoya Grampus), Milos Degenek (Red Star Belgrade)
