Socceroos Riley McGree and Sam Silvera combined for the decisive goal as Middlesbrough stunned English Championship leaders Leicester City 2-1 on the road.
McGree stole the ball on the right side before releasing Silvera who fired home in the 37th minute for a 2-0 lead.
The goal was Silvera’s fourth in the league since joining Boro in the off-season. Meanwhile, Harry Souttar was absent for the Foxes.
Tom Glover put in a full shift and was beaten by Jamie Vardy in the 85th minute. Teesside Live rated Glover 7/10 and wrote: “To the credit of the defenders in front him, Glover didn’t have many big saves to make. But he kicked really well and commanded his area well too.
“One late catch at the end as Leicester pushed for an equaliser showed great character and felt massive at the time. Boro fans celebrated it like a goal.”
McGree, who started and played 90 minutes, and Silvera, who started and played 78 minutes, both earned 7/10 ratings from Teesside Live.
On McGree, they wrote: “Set up Boro’s all-important second in a moment that typified his dogged determination and nuisance-causing performance. His energy both in attack and defence were so important.”
On Silvera, they wrote: “An emphatic finish to double Boro’s lead, it proved important in the end. He worked his socks off up top, pressing hard and supporting Boro’s counters at every possible opportunity.”
Joe Gauci appeared on the Aston Villa bench for the first time as they won 2-1 away to Fulham in the English Premier League on Saturday.
Gauci was 2022 World Cup winner Emiliano Martinez’s deputy but not required.
Socceroos number one Mat Ryan helped AZ Alkmaar belatedly return to the winners’ list in a 2-1 come-from-behind victory at Fortuna Sittard in the Dutch Eredivisie.
Ryan had a solid game, making three saves including one at 1-0 down from Deroy Duarte which he pushed wide.
Jackson Irvine’s St Pauli took a big stride towards promotion with a 1-0 home win over Eintracht Braunschweig in the German 2.Bundesliga.
Irvine, who put in a full shift, headed over from a 65th minute chance after a goalmouth scramble following a corner with a teammate cannoning a shot into the crossbar.
The result leaves St Pauli three points clear in top spot and seven points ahead of third-placed Hamburg SV, with the top two automatically promoted. Connor Metcalfe was a 69th minute substitute.
In Italy’s Serie A, Cristian Volpato was a 72nd minute substitute as Sassuolo went down 3-0 to Atalanta.
In Serie B, Alessandro Circati played a full game as Parma won 3-2 over Pisa to pull eight points clear at the top in their bid for promotion.
In Scotland’s Premiership, Tete Yengi maintained his bright goal scoring form with his third strike in six games for new club Livingston in a 1-0 victory over St Mirren.
Yengi, who scored an extra-time winner last weekend in the cup, netted the decisive goal in first-half stoppage time, rifling home a rebound to earn a much-needed three points for the bottom-placed club. Keanu Baccus was a 69th minute sub for St Mirren.
Martin Boyle opened the scoring in Hibernian’s 2-2 draw at Aberdeen, in a game where Lewis Miller (rated 6/10 by Edinburgh Evening News) and Nectar Triantis (5/10) both played full games.
Boyle, who started and played 83 minutes, put Hibs ahead in the 12th minute after finding space down the right, rounding the keeper and slotting home, before an inventive goal celebration.
The Socceroos winger was rated 7/10 by Edinburgh Evening News, who wrote: “Took his chance to open the scoring brilliantly. A constant threat often half a step ahead of his team-mates.”
Returning to England, Massimo Luongo started and played 83 minutes and Cam Burgess put in a full shift as fourth-placed Ipswich Town won 2-1 at Swansea City in stay in touch in the race for automatic promotion.
In League One, Ash Maynard-Brewer was on the bench for the third straight game as Charlton managed a 3-3 draw at Bolton. Gethin Jones and Jack Iredale both played full games for promotion-hopefuls Bolton who are second.
Above Bolton are Kusini Yengi’s Portsmouth who won 4-1 over Reading on Saturday, with the Socceroo coming on in the 86th minute. Man City loanee Alex Robertson was absent and is likely sidelined for the remainder of the season with a serious hamstring injury.
Others
Full games
Jordan Laws (Grasshoppers), Jordan Bos (Westerlo), Aiden O’Neill (Standard Liege), Kye Rowles (Hearts), Ryan McGowan (St Johnstone), Callum Elder (Derby County)
Minutes
Ryan Edwards – SB 82 (Amorebieta), Jason Davidson – ST 78 (KAS Eupen), James Holland – SB 87 (Austria Vienna), Anthony Kalik – ST 71 (Hajduk Split), Calem Nieuwenhof – ST 77, Cammy Devlin – SB 77, Nathaniel Atkinson – SB 46 (all Hearts), Craig Goodwin – SB 64 (Al Wehda)
Unused subs
Garang Kuol (FC Volendam), Nicholas Bilokapic (Peterborough United)
Notable absentees
Awer Mabil (Grasshoppers), Milos Degenek (Red Sar Belgrade)
