Aussies Abroad Preview: More Socceroos return as J League season resumes
The Japanese J.League resumes this weekend so this means it will be our first chance to see Aussie duo Mitch Langerak and Thomas Deng in action for their respective clubs.
Mitch Langerak’s Nagoya Grampus restart their league campaign on Saturday night when they visit Shimizu S-Pulse at 7pm.
The Aussie shot stopper has been back in training for the last fortnight after being confined to a hospital bed after he tested positive to COVID-19 at the beginning of June.
Nagoya started the season with a 1-1 draw away to Vegalta Sendai on February 22 while their opponents Shimizu suffered a 3-1 defeat against FC Tokyo prior to the enforced break.
Thomas Deng and his Urawa Red Diamonds will meet Yokohama F. Marinos at 8pm this Saturday.
Urawa enjoyed a 3-2 victory in their first round encounter against Shonan Bellmare on February 21 while Yokohama fell to a 2-1 defeat against Gamba Osaka two days later.
Over to the English Premier League where Maty Ryan and Aaron Mooy’s Brighton & Hove Albion make the trip to bottom of the ladder Norwich City at 9:30pm on Saturday.
Brighton have had a mixed bag of results since the EPL restarted last month, they beat Arsenal 2-1, drew 0-0 against Leicester before being put to the sword by Manchester United on Wednesday morning, losing 3-0.
In the English Championship, Massimo Luongo’s Sheffield Wednesday will face off against Swansea City on Sunday at 9pm.
Luongo’s started and played just over 60 minutes for Sheffield as they went down 3-0 to West Bromwich Albion on Thursday morning.
Aside from their victory against Bristol City last Sunday, the Owls haven’t enjoyed a league win since they overcame Charlton 1-0 on February 27.
Brad Smith will be hoping to make it out onto the pitch for Cardiff City when they make the short trip across the England/Wales border to take on Bristol City on Saturday.
The Aussie defender was an unused substitute in his side’s 0-0 stalemate at home to Charlton on Wednesday morning and hasn’t appeared for the Bluebirds since he made his debut against Leeds on June 21.
In the Israeli Premier League, Nikita Rukavytsya and Trent Sainsbury’s Maccabi Haifa host league leaders Maccabi Tel Aviv on Sunday at 4am.
Rukavytsya grabbed a first half brace for his side as they registered a 4-1 win over rivals Hapoel Haifa on Thursday morning.
Their upcoming match against Tel Aviv will prove to be challenging with the leaders on course to remain undefeated this season.
Heading to Denmark and Awer Mabil’s Midtjylland are set to go head to head against Nordsjaelland at 10pm on Sunday.
Mabil’s side enter this fixture on the back of a 2-1 win against FC Kobenhavn in which the Socceroos winger managed to collect an assist.
Nordsjaelland suffered a 2-0 defeat against Brondby in their last outing and were on the wrong end of a 1-0 score line the last time they met Midtjylland in early June.
Alex Gersbach and Mustafa Amini will also be in action as their AGF Aarhus host Kobenhavn on Monday at 4am.
Aarhus were thumped 4-1 against Aalborg last time out and will be in desperate need to return to form as they face the men from the capital.
Kobenhavn have not won in their last two attempts and are in dire need to return to the winners circle as they look to keep pace with table toppers Midtjylland.
In the Turkish SuperLig, Aziz Behich’s Istanbul Basaksehir visit Antalyaspor at 4am on Sunday.
Behich’s side sit top of the table and have the perfect chance to extend their lead given that 2nd placed Trabzonspor are set to face 4th placed Galatasaray this weekend.
In the Austrian Bundesliga, James Jeggo’s Austria Wien tied up first place in the relegation group after they secured a 2-1 win against 2nd placed Altach on Wednesday morning.
Jeggo played the final quarter of an hour for Wien whose next task is a home clash against Mattersburg on Sunday at 1am.
In the Korean K League, Terry Antonis and Adam Taggart will be in action on Saturday when their Suwon Bluewings face off against FC Seoul at 9pm.
Both sides have endured difficult starts to their campaign and will see this fixture as a perfect opportunity to kickstart their respective seasons.
The Bluewings sit in 10th place on the league table with eight points while Seoul occupy 9th position and are one point better off than their opponents.
On Sunday, we will see Brandon O’Neill feature for Pohang Steelers when they come up against Seongnam FC at 8pm.
O’Neill has settled well into life in Korea and become a regular in his side’s starting line-up.
Expect him to put in a full shift for Pohang as they look to break into the top four with a win over 8th placed Seongnam this weekend.