Aussies Overseas: Mat Ryan Delivers Perfect Six Saves in Clean Sheet Victory

Regardless of whether they are current Socceroos, seasoned national team stalwarts in their twilight years, or uncapped players making waves in lower leagues abroad, we’re always keen to catch up with what our beloved Australian footballers are up to these days!

A Memorable Ryan Comeback

Mat Ryan, the Socceroos and Lens goalkeeper, endured a challenging outing in his side’s 4-3 home defeat to Le Havre not long ago, but he made a remarkable recovery on Sunday morning. He saved all six shots on target, helping his team secure a vital 1-0 victory over second-placed Marseille, thus keeping their Ligue 1 top-six aspirations alive.

Irvine Assists in Surprise Away Stalemate

Jackson Irvine is among a select few in Europe’s top-five leagues who has not missed a single minute of action this season, and for good reason.

As captain of St. Pauli, he continues to battle fiercely for Bundesliga survival. His side managed to clinch a crucial point away at Wolfsburg, where he fetched a corner and flicked it across to team-mate Siebe van der Heyden, giving his team an early lead.

Former Olyroo Nets Second Goal of the Season

Caleb Watts might not be a household name just yet, but the eight-time Olyroo certainly made a strong impression over the weekend by scoring the opener in a messy goalmouth scramble. Exeter City triumphed 2-0 against Shrewsbury Town, putting significant distance between themselves and the relegation zone in League One.

First Top-Flight Double for Adelaide-Born Starlet

Mohamed Touré, who first grabbed headlines alongside his brother Al Hassan Toure as teenagers making their debuts for Adelaide United, continued his promising career in Denmark by scoring the first and third goals in Randers FC’s 4-0 rout at home, helping them leap to fourth in the Danish Superliga table, ahead of both Brøndby IF and Nordsjælland.

Maclaren Named Player of the Month

Wherever he goes, it seems Jamie Maclaren can’t help but rack up the goals.

In an awards system that allocates 50% of votes to the public and 50% to a panel of experts, the former Melbourne City ace emerged victorious with 32.4% of the vote, following back-to-back braces in a pair of 3-0 victories for League Shield champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant. He finished the regular season joint-third in the golden boot race, netting 11 goals across 22 appearances.

With Mohun Bagan qualifying for the next stage of the AFC Champions League, they are favoured to lift the trophy at the conclusion of the forthcoming playoffs.

Debut MLS Goal for Macarthur Bulls Academy Graduate

What a fantastic way to kick off an overseas career!

In his first foray abroad, Adelaide native Ariath Piol required just 85 minutes on the field to score his first goal for Real Salt Lake, lighting up the home crowd.

Although RSL ultimately fell 3-1 and remained near the bottom of the Western Conference, it’s still early days, and this could be the start of a breakout year for a potential future Socceroo.

O’Neill Sees Red, Faces Criticism from Displeased Fans

On a less-than-pleasant note, we conclude our global round-up with former Melbourne City player Aiden O’Neill, who was sent off just after half-time for two reckless challenges during Standard Liege’s 3-0 defeat away to Royale Union SG.

Their loss pushed them further from the top six in the Championship Group, and he was harshly criticised by a Belgian publication as someone who “lacks the qualities of a captain“, with calls on social media for him to be stripped of his leadership role following the dismissal.