In-form Socceroos striker Adam Taggart scored his fifth goal from his past 10 games as Cerezo Osaka drew 2-2 at Jubilo Iwata in the Japanese J1 League on Saturday.
Taggart opened the scoring in the 25th minute with a left-foot strike from the edge of the box after receiving Hiroshi Kiyotake’s lay-off.
The Australian could have made it 2-0 in the 51st minute, fizzing a shot wide on the counter-attack.
Cerezo led 2-0 before giving away two goals, including an unfortunate own goal Ryosuke Shindo own goal, before Taggart had an 80th minute chance saved by Jubilo keeper Ryuki Miura.
Taggart was replaced in the 83rd minute with the draw leaving Cerezo in fourth, three points behind third-placed Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the race for AFC Champions League qualification.
Mitch Duke continued his prolific run with his fourth goal from his past nine games as Fagiano Okayama boosted their promotion hopes with a 3-0 win over V-Varen Nagasaki in Japan’s J2 League on Saturday.
Duke came off the bench at half-time and made it 3-0 in the 76th minute with a back-post header from Shuhei Tokumoto’s left-flank cross.
Okayama are third in J2, two points behind second-placed Yokohama who have stumbled lately but play on Sunday. The top two are automatically promoted.
Martin Boyle scored his third goal of the new Scottish Premiership campaign as Hibernian won 3-1 over Aberdeen on Saturday.
Boyle calmly slotted a penalty in the 45th minute, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way, to make it 1-1.
Edinburgh Evening News rated Boyle 7/10 and wrote: “Always looked like the player in green who could unlock the door and took his penalty very well.”
Lewis Miller was an unused sub for Hibs.
Aaron Mooy made his first Scottish Premiership start for Celtic but it was an unhappy one, replaced at half-time in a 2-0 loss to St Mirren on Sunday.
Glasgow Live rated Mooy 6/10 and wrote: “The Australian looks to take over Tom Rogic’s label as the new ‘Wizard of Oz’ at Celtic Park, although his full debut and return to St Mirren Park failed to flatter.
“Tidy on the ball, but Mooy lacked any creativity in the final third before being hooked at half-time. Could have tracked O’Hara for the opener.” Mooy sent over a 12th minute chance.
Ryan Strain and Keanu Baccus both started for St Mirren, and were involved in Mark O’Hara’s opener, with Baccus passing wide to Strain whose lofted cross found the scorer for a header in the 43rd minute. Strain was replaced in the 72nd minute while Baccus put in a full shift.
Nathaniel Atkinson came off the bench to provide an assist as Hearts won 3-0 at Motherwell on Sunday.
Atkinson was a 73rd minute substitute, before getting behind the ‘Well defence and cutting back a pass for Alan Forrest’s 90th minute tap-in goal and received a 5/10 rating from the Edinburgh Evening News, who wrote: “For Halliday on 73 mins. Slotted in at left-back but never looked comfortable up against McKinstry.”
Cammy Devlin started and played 64 minutes, earning a 7/10: “Hopeful lofted pass over the hosts defence found Forrest, who should’ve scored. Strong challenge to deny Spittal as he was about to pull the trigger. Blazed wide of the target on the angle after finding himself in acres of space inside the box.”
Ajdin Hrustic made his starting debut for Hellas Verona as they lost 2-0 at Fiorentina in the Italian Serie A on Sunday.
Hrustic started and played an hour before being replaced, in a game largely dominated by Fiorentina.
Fran Karacic put in a full shift as Brescia won 1-0 over Benevento in Italy’s Serie B on Friday.
Jason Davidson played a full game while Jimmy Jeggo came off the bench in the 72nd minute as AS Eupen were beaten 2-1 by Union Saint-Gilloise in the Belgian First Division A on Sunday.
Denis Genreau was an unused sub as Toulouse lost 2-1 at Lille in the French Ligue 1 on Saturday.
Alex Gersbach was out suspended for Grenoble’s 1-0 win over Caen in Ligue 2.
Mat Ryan was beaten twice as FC Copenhagen’s domestic struggles continues with a 2-1 loss at FC Midtjylland in the Danish Superliga on Sunday, while Joel King was left out of the OB squad which won 2-0 at Lyngby.
Alou Kuol wasn’t in the VfB Stuttgart matchday squad as they lost 3-1 at home to Eintracht Frankfurt in the German Bundesliga.
Awer Mabil was unused on the bench as Cadiz claimed their first points of the season, edging Valladolid 1-0 in the Spanish La Liga on Friday.
There was no debut for Tom Rogic following his midweek move to West Bromwich Albion as they drew 1-1 at Norwich City in the English Championship. West Brom boss Steve Bruce said in midweek that Rogic needs some time to build match fitness after being a free agent through the off-season.
Others
Full games
Jackson Irvine, Callum Elder, Kenny Dougall, Aziz Behich, Deni Juric, Mitch Langerak, Ryan Edwards, Trent Sainsbury, Thomas Deng, Harrison Delbridge, Milos Degenek
Minutes
Connor Metcalfe – SB 46, Alessandro Circati – SB 46, Apostolos Stamatelopoulos – SB 65, Tyrese Francois – ST 75, Anthony Kalik – SB 46, Riley McGree – ST 74, Ryan McGowan – ST 76, Jack Iredale – ST 78, Lachlan Brook – SB 61, Lachlan Jackson – SB 55
Unused subs
Bruce Kamau, Nicholas Bilokapic, Dean Bouzanis, Massimo Luongo, Phillip Cancar, Jacob Chapman
Notable absentees
Bailey Wright, Mark Birighitti, James Holland, Joel King, Gianni Stensness
