Socceroos striker Mohamed Toure has started the 2026-27 season in style, with a goal and an assist in Norwich City’s 4-1 home win over MK Dons in the EFL Cup on Saturday.
Toure, 22, rifled the Canaries into the lead with a thumping angled strike within 40 seconds.
The Australia international helped Norwich in a 2-0 lead in the seventh minute when he laid off for Anis Ben Slimane.
Toure was replaced after 61 minutes with Norwich 4-1 up and the game settled.
Read Norwich and Pink Un both rated Toure’s game as 9/10. Read Norwich wrote: “The striker ended the match with five shots on goal, three key passes, and two ‘big chances’ created for the Canaries, and looks set to start against West Bromwich Albion next weekend.”
For MK Dons, Gethin Jones started and 46 minutes, while Sam Silvera debuted as a 57th minute substitute.
Harry Souttar played a full game in the heart of defence in Leicester City’s 1-0 home victory over Northampton Town.
Leicester Mercury rated Souttar 6/10 and wrote: “Poor pass across goal for the early chance and was passive with some balls played behind him.
“Constantly vocal to teammates around him and offering support. Interceptions were key at times but his piece of skill inside the box was questionable.”
Nestory Irankunda was absent for Watford’s 1-0 win over Crawley Town amid ongoing speculation of a move to Portuguese heavyweights Sporting Lisbon.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported the move this week, stating it was agreed and down to final details.
🟢⚪️🇦🇺 Nestory Irankunda to Sporting CP from Watford, final details of the deal.
€15m fixed fee, add-ons potentially bringing it over €18m package, long term deal also agreed with the winger.
Here we go. 💥 pic.twitter.com/6vr81BYEvc
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 6, 2026
Injury-cursed Thomas Waddingham came on as a 52nd minute substitute in Portsmouth’s 3-1 loss to West Ham United, but lasted only eight minutes due to injury from a hefty challenge.
Portsmouth manager John Mousinho said: “I really feel for him. When he picks up a soft tissue injury we have to look at ourselves and think what have we done with the rehab and where have we been with building him up.
“That’s on us, but I thought this one was doubly disappointing. Wadds has come off worse off the back of that challenge. The most important thing is Wadds and I’m gutted for him. So we’ll deal with the consequences of the refereeing decision over the next couple of days. But it doesn’t look good.”
He continued: “The fact the lad has been out since August last year and has needed to come off after five minutes at West Ham at the London Stadium, that shows it must be something pretty serious. I can understand how gutted he is, but we don’t know the extent of it yet. We can clearly see where the contact was made, and it doesn’t look good.” Hayden Matthews was an unused sub for Pompey.
#Pompey head coach John Mousinho fears Thomas Waddingham has a serious injury. He’s furious with the challenge and also thinks Alvarez should have been sent off for his tackle on Swanson
— Andrew Moon (@mrandrewmoon) August 8, 2026
Alex Robertson put in a full shift in Cardiff City’s 3-2 win over Swindon Town.
Wales Online rated Robertson 8/10 and wrote: “One of Cardiff’s most influential performers, dictating play in midfield and regularly driving the team forward, including a superb first-time effort from 20 yards and a brilliant turn to release Turnbull after half-time.”
Cameron Peupion was absent for newly-promoted ADO Den Haag’s 2-0 loss way to AZ Alkmaar due to injury on the opening weekend of the Dutch Eredivisie season.
Peupion successfully underwent a knee operation earlier in the week and will be sidelined for a few months, according to the club.
Cameron Peupion is succesvol geopereerd aan zijn knie. De aanvaller zal naar verwachting enkele maanden uit de roulatie zijn.
Veel sterkte met je herstel, Cameron! 🍀 pic.twitter.com/9GbecXvUx8
— ADO Den Haag (@ADODenHaag) August 7, 2026
Jordan Bos’ Feyenoord triumphed 1-0 away to Sparta Rotterdam in their derby.
The Socceroo was absent due to the knee injury he sustained at the World Cup, likely sidelining him for the first three months of the campaign.
Brother Kasey Bos was also sidelined with injury for Excelsior’s opening clash with Cambuur, which they won 4-0.
Kasey Bos has joined Excelsior on loan from German club FSV Mainz for the season.
Jackson Irvine wasn’t in St Pauli’s line-up for their 2.Bundesliga opener against Greuther Furth having secured a move to Japan to join J1 outfit Cerezo Osaka.
The 33-year-old midfielder has joined the midtable Japanese side on a permanent basis.
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Irvine said: “I’m incredibly excited to be coming to the hottest football nation in the world and joining a new league and a club with huge potential. I hope I can use my experience and quality to help the team become even better.
“I’m also looking forward to experiencing a new culture and a new way of life. Let’s achieve success together.”
Aston Villa’s Aussie goalkeeper Joe Gauci will be in contention to play English Championship football this term after signing a season-long loan deal with newly-promoted Lincoln City.
Lincoln’s goalkeeping coach David Preece said: “Joe has a lot of the qualities that we want in a goalkeeper, but most importantly he is ambitious, driven and comes knowing that George (Wickens) is our number one, but with the aim and desire to compete with him for a place in the team.”
Gauci was on the bench for Lincoln’s 2-1 win at Derby County, where Callum Elder was an 88th minute sub for the Imps.
Anthony Kalik has made an unusual move from Croatian club Hajduk Split to Lithuania’s top tier with Kauno Zalgiris, ahead of their UEFA Champions League third qualifying round clash against Dinamo Zagreb.
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