Welcome to A-Leagues Alumni: A weekly piece that keeps you up to date with the best stories from our products flying the flag abroad. The acronyms of the A-Leagues club(s) each player has represented are in brackets after their name.
D’Agostino’s outrageous goal: ‘It’s one of those freak ones’
Goals don’t get much better than Nick D’Agostino‘s (BRI, PER, MVC) bicycle kick over the weekend.
It was one of two goals in a devastating four-minute period for the Australian forward, whose Viking are third in the standings – just three points behind league-leading Bodo/Glimt with one round remaining.
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“I don’t really think I can (describe it) to be honest. It’s one of those freak ones you don’t see very often,” said D’Agostino via Vikingpodden, having been introduced at half-time.
A three-time Socceroo, D’Agostino added: “It’s all about belief, belief in yourself and your teammates.
“I’ve been telling myself all that I’d come on and score. I think that’s important to try and visualise what’s going to happen in a game. It puts positive thoughts in your head too. I didn’t think I was going to score like that, but it was a crucial time in the game.
“I’ve said it all year, I want to help the team every time I come onto the pitch, no matter where I play, no matter what formation, I just want to help the team and score goals.”
It has been an injury-interrupted season for the 26-year-old, who only returned to action last month after he was sidelined since July.
But the former Melbourne Victory forward has now scored three goals in his past five appearances for Viking.
Since swapping Victory for Viking last year, D’Agostino has scored seven goals in 37 league appearances, though only 14 of those have been starts.
“It’s been up and down, that’s for sure. The last two years I’ve had two quite long-term injuries which is unfortunate,” he said.
“… I came back and made a nice impact, and I think today was the biggest impact so far.”
Meanwhile in Belgium’s Pro League, Jordy Bos (MCY) came off the bench and scored in Westerlo’s 4-0 demolition of Kortrijk.
It was Bos’ first goal of the season and his first since May.
Over in the Dutch Eredivisie, Max Balard (CCM) provided an assist as NAC Breda drew 2-2 with Willem II.
Nisbet to tip the striker coach?!
Talk about opening your account in style… Josh Nisbet‘s (CCM) first goal for Ross County was one to remember.
The 2023-24 Johnny Warren Medallist celebrated his maiden goal in a man-of-the-match performance as Ross County took down Apostolos Stamatelopoulos (ADL, WUN, NEW) and Motherwell 2-1 in the Scottish Premiership.
Nisbet found the back of the net with a brilliant goal from the edge of the penalty box in the 54th minute.
“I was aiming for that corner, but I felt like I could have got more power on it.
“If I can keep doing that, I’ll be all right but there is still more to come in terms of dominant performances and being on the end of goals.”
Prior to the match over the weekend, the three-time Australia international revealed he had gained some advice from specialist striker coach Scott Chickelday during the international break.
It paid dividends against Motherwell.
“I might have to give him a tip now!,” Nisbet joked.
“In training, that was one of the strikes we were working on, from left to right.
Elsewhere in Scotland’s top flight, Nectar Triantis (WSW, CCM) started for 10-man Hibernian in their 4-1 loss at Dundee FC. Triantis scored an own-goal in the defeat, while Lewis Miller (CCM) and Jack Iredale (PER) came off the bench.
Kye Rowles (BRI, CCM) and Cammy Devlin (SYD, WEL, NEW) started as Hearts lost 4-1 to reigning champions and league leaders Celtic.
Ryan Strain (ADL) played the entire game for Dundee United, who held giants Rangers to a 1-1 draw.
In England, Riley McGree came off the bench and set up a goal for Middlesbrough in their 6-2 win over Des Buckingham‘s (WEL, MCY) Oxford United.
Former Jets coach set for big gig in Japan
Arthur Papas (NEW) is set to become head coach of Japanese giants Cerezo Osaka.
The former Newcastle Jets boss is reportedly poised to be unveiled by J1 League outfit Cerezo, with an announcement expected at the end of the 2024 season.
With fellow Australian Peter Cklamovski (PER, ADL, MVC) stepping down as FC Tokyo boss and John Hutchinson (CCM, WUN) only in charge of Yokohama F.Marinos on an interim basis, Papas looks set to be the only Aussie head coach in Japan’s top flight next term.
Papas has been out of work since resigning as head coach of Thai champions Buriram United in May.
The 44-year-old, who spent two seasons in charge of the Jets in the Isuzu UTE A-League, is no stranger to Japanese football.
He was part of Ange Postecoglou’s coaching staff when F.Marinos won the 2019 J1 League title, while he also spent time coaching Kagoshima United FC in the third tier.
Meanwhile in China, Kevin Muscat (MVC) created more history after the A-Leagues great guided Shanghai Port to their first Chinese FA Cup title.
It has already been a record-breaking season for Muscat, whose Shanghai Port won a dramatic Chinese Super League trophy as they clinched back-to-back league crowns for the first time in their history.
With fellow Australians and A-Leagues alumni Ross Aloisi (ADL, BRI), Vincenzo Ierardo (MVC, WUN) and Greg King (ADL) part of his staff, the CSL champions pulled off their first ever league-and-cup double with a 3-1 triumph over Shandong Taishan – the club’s maiden FA Cup crown, on Saturday.
“This is a historic championship for our club! Congratulations to our club on winning their first FA Cup title, and thank you to the group leadership for their support,” Muscat said.
Elsewhere abroad…
Joe Montemurro (MVC, MCY) and Lyon maintained their unbeaten start to the Division 1 Feminine season with a 3-0 win over Le Havre. CommBank Matildas star Ellie Carpenter (WSW, CBR, MCY) was absent ahead of international duty.
In India, Jamie Maclaren (PER, BRI, MCY) scored his third goal of the season as Mohun Bagan defeated Jamshedpur 3-0. Dimitri Petratos (BRI, NEW) and Jason Cummings (CCM) also featured, while Tom Aldred (BRI) scored.
Matildas goalkeeper Teagan Micah (BRI, WSW, MVC, MCY) started for Liverpool in their 6-1 mauling of Newcastle United in the Women’s League Cup in England.’
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Anthony Kalik (CCM, SYD) had an assist in Hajduk Split’s 2-2 draw at Osije in the Croatian top flight.
In Denmark, Mohamed Toure (ADL) played 82 minutes while Paul Izzo (ADL, CCM, MVC) was in goal for Randers in a 2-0 win over Vejle Boldklub. Elsewhere, John Iredale (SYD) played 57 minutes for AaB in a 0-0 draw with Viborg FF.
Craig Goodwin (MCY, ADL) and his Al-Wehda side climbed out of the Saudi Pro League relegation zone with a 1-0 triumph against Al-Taawoun.
In Germany, Nestory Irankunda (ADL) played the first half for Bayern Munich’s reserve side in their 1-1 Regionalliga draw against SpVgg Bayreuth.
Jackson Irvine (MVC) and St Pauli were beaten 2-0 by Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga as the Australia international put in another full shift.
Winonah Heatley (BRI, MCY) and her second-placed FC Nordsjaelland dropped six points off the pace in Denmark following a 2-1 defeat to Aarhus.
In the Dutch Eredivisie, former A-Leagues stars Oskar Zawada (WEL) and Richard van der Venne (MCY) both scored for RKC Waalwijk in their 2-2 draw at Heracles.
