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.
‘Dream’ goal takes Belgium by storm
There are goals and then there are goals like Aiden O’Neill‘s (CCM, BRI, MCY) thunderbolt.
The former Melbourne City midfielder lit up the Belgian Pro League and social media with an outrageous half-volley for Standard Liege over the weekend.
Dubbed a Puskas Award contender by some fans online, the Socceroo unleashed a thunderous effort from outside of the penalty area to help snap a four-match winless streak as Liege topped Oud-Heverlee Leuven.
It was some way for the three-time Isuzu UTE A-League Premiership winner and 2020-21 champion to bring up his first goal for the Belgian club.
“To be honest, there is a bit of luck in this goal,” the Australian said post-match via DH Les Sports+. “I was in a good position and I said to myself ‘why not take my chance?’.
“I had already dreamed of scoring a goal like that but, to succeed in doing it, especially in such an important match, is something else. It means a lot.
“I had already scored goals from outside the box but, yes, I can say that this one is probably the best of my career. And it brings three super important points for the team.”
Standard teammate Isaac Price added: “Aiden was lucky! In any case, I’ve never seen him score anything like that in training.
“More seriously, he has a excellent striking technique. If you watch videos of his best actions, you will see that he is able to hit from afar and score beautiful goals.”
O’Neill was also named Standard’s Man of the Match in the 1-0 victory.
Elsewhere in the Belgian Pro League, Jordy Bos (MCY) started for Westerlo in their 2-2 draw with Union SG, while Jason Davidson (PER, MVC) was in the line-up as KAS Eupen lost 4-0 to Club Brugge.
Nieuwenhof backed to crack Socceroos
Calem Nieuwenhof (SYD, WSW) is coming into his own at Hearts; just check out his performance over the weekend and comments made by head coach Steven Naismith.
Nieuwenhof joined Aussie contingent Kye Rowles (BRI, CCM), Nathaniel Atkinson (MCY) and Cam Devlin (SYD, WEL, NEW) after swapping Western Sydney Wanderers for Scotland at the start of 2023-24.
On Sunday, he scored his second goal of the season in Hearts’ 4-1 Scottish Cup rout of Airdrieonians, continuing his growth in Edinburgh.
“The character he is, he’s a reserved person and is really chilled out,” Naismith told The Scotsman. “That probably went against him in his first few months when he was finding his feet, but in training you can see his quality – his calmness in possession, his understanding of the game, his range of passing, and he is a goal threat as well.
“He’s one of the fittest players at the club. What he brings on and off the ball is really important. He’s consistently improving and becoming more dominant in games, which is why we signed him. We knew he was a good player, he’s a really good player.
“He’s got a desire to get into the international team and I don’t think that’ll be too far away if he continues in the same vein of form.”
The 22-year-old also scored in the 3-2 victory against Dundee FC in the Scottish Premiership last month.
“I’m a bit more of a laidback, reserved kind of guy,” Nieuwenhof said. “Coming over here, to Scotland, football is so different. You can’t really be reserved on the pitch as I’ve learned. You need to go into every game with that mindset that you are going to have to get stuck in and get involved.
“That’s something I have really learned across the last few months and brought it into my game and just trying to get consistency into that side of my game, the physical aspect.
“I’m definitely going into the team with that consistency. I’ve been playing week in, week out for the last few rounds. I’m feeling a lot more comfortable in the team and getting used to the way we play and the way we want to break down teams. I’ve been happy to play a role in Sunday’s game and the last few games. I’ve been happy with how it has been going.”
Tete Yengi (NEW), meanwhile, scored a 120th-minute winner as Livingston overcame Partick Thistle 3-2 to reach the Scottish Cup quarter-finals.
“It’s crazy. What a crazy feeling. We worked so hard all game , to come back from losing we’re just so happy to get the result,” he said.
Yengi added: “We trust ourselves, we’re a good side. We kept fighting. The hard work you have to put in first, the quality comes after that. That relief, that feeling once we got back was just amazing.
“I wasn’t thinking about it going to penalties, I knew we’d get one more chance.”
Staying in the UK and Sammy Silvera (CCM, NEW) scored a consolation goal in Middlesbrough’s 2-1 EFL Championship loss to Bristol City. Tom Glover (CCM, MCY) started in between the sticks again for Boro. Riley McGree (ADL, NEW, MCY) came off the bench.
Guess who’s back, back again?!
Tomi Juric (ADL, WSW, MAC, MVC) is back playing and back scoring goals… in India.
Juric left Melbourne Victory after just one goal in six appearances last season but he has emerged overseas at NorthEast United in the Indian Super League.
The 32-year-old capped his first start with a brace in a 3-2 triumph against East Bengal, including a sublime curling effort.
“Very pleased. Very pleased that we got three points because we knew it was an important game,” said Juric, who joined the club late last month.
“On a personal note, I’m very happy to have got my campaign off with a couple of goals now. I couldn’t have asked for any better.”
Juric was named man of the match as NorthEast United fans chanted his name throughout.
“I’m very excited to begin my time here in India. The fans have been great so far,” he added.
NorthEast United are sixth in the standings, 15 points behind ISL leaders Odisha.
Golden Boot leader Roy Krishna (WEL) scored again as Odisha were held to a 1-1 draw by FC Goa in a top-of-the-table clash.
Jason Cummings (CCM) was on target as defending champions Mohun Bagan defeated Hyderabad 2-0, while Dimitri Petratos (SYD, BRI, NEW) was also in the starting XI.
In Japan, Mitch Langerak (MVC) has been named captain of Nagoya Grampus heading into the 2024 J1 League season.
“It’s a huge honour for me. It’s a big responsibility and one I’m happy to take,” Langerak said.
Elsewhere abroad…
Ellie Carpenter (WSW, CAN, MCY) and Lyon saw their 100% record ended by rivals Paris Saint-Germain in France’s Division 1 Feminine.
Going head-to-head with Matildas teammate Clare Hunt (WSW, CAN), defending champions Lyon had their first 14 matches of the league campaign.
But Lyon needed a 90th-minute own goal to rescue a point at home to the capital club.
“It was a bit difficult for us, PSG are a good team,” Carpenter said post-match. “We have a lot of chances in front of goal, but the goalkeeper made some great saves.
“I think we can do a lot better. Was important for us to score the goal and mentally also 1-1 is not a defeat.”
Elsewhere, Sarah Hunter (WSW, SYD) came off the bench as Paris FC beat Bordeaux 6-2.
In the Women’s FA Cup, Charli Grant (ADL) and her Tottenham side advanced with a 1-0 win over Charlton Athletic. She completed the full game.
Clare Wheeler (NEW, SYD) started Everton’s 7-1 demolition of Nottingham Forest.
Caitlin Foord (SYD, PER), Steph Catley (MVC, MCY) and Kyra Cooney-Cross (MVC) were bundled out of the FA Cup after Arsenal lost 1-0 to Manchester City. Mary Fowler (ADL) and Alanna Kennedy (SYD, NEW, WSW, PER, MCY) both came off the bench for City.
Maty Ryan (CCM) was back in the starting XI following the AFC Asian Cup as AZ Alkmaar were held to a surprise 0-0 draw by Almere in the Dutch Eredivisie.
Arthur Papas (NEW) guided Thai champions Buriram United to a fourth consecutive league win – and fifth in all competitions, with a 2-1 success away to Lamphun Warrior.
Buriram are second in the Thai Premier League standings, four points behind Bangkok United.
Joe Montemurro (MVC, MCY) saw his Juventus side crush Como Women 5-0 in Italy’s Serie A Femminile.
Juve are second, eight points behind defending champions Roma.
