Trent Sainsbury was drafted into the starting line up as PSV Eindhoven were held to a 1-1 draw in their Dutch Eredivisie opener at FC Twente.
Following PSV’s UEFA Champions League exit in midweek, head coach — and former Caltex Socceroos assistant coach — Mark van Bommel made two changes to the team knocked into the Europa League by Swiss side FC Basel.
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The 27-year-old Caltex Socceroo, Sainsbury, was called into the line up to replace Derrick Luckassen, while Hirving Lozano was dropped for Gaston Pereiro for the trip to face newly promoted Twente.
The 2018/19 Eredivisie runners-up were given a shock to start the game as Japanese teenager Keito Nakamura fired the Reds ahead in the 8th minute at De Grolsch Veste.
But, after dominating possession throughout, the 24-time Dutch champions pulled level when Netherlands international right-back Denzel Dumfries headed in substitute Cody Gakpo’s cross to equalise on 65 minutes.
Substitute Mohammed Ihattaren missed a golden opportunity to clinch all three points as PSV were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw.
Irvine and Milligan kick off their campaigns in England
Caltex Socceroos midfielders Jackson Irvine and Mark Milligan got their 2019/20 campaigns in England under way with away matches, with both ending up on the losing side.
Irvine played all 90 minutes as Hull City went down 2-1 at Swansea City. The Tigers made an ideal start to their Championship season as Polish international Kamil Grosicki struck after only three minutes.
But two goals in the space of two minutes from Spanish striker Borja Baston and Dutch defender Mike van der Hoorn flipped the game in the Swans’ favour at the Liberty Stadium.
Milligan captained Southend United on his club debut against Coventry City in League One, but a 51st-minute goal from Zain Westbrooke saw the Shrimpers slip to a 1-0 defeat at St Andrew’s Trillion Trophy stadium in Birmingham.
Jeggo suffers heavy loss in Austria
Austria Vienna are still looking for their first points of the 2019/20 Austrian Bundesliga after they were beaten by ladder-leaders LASK Linz.
Jimmy Jeggo played the full game for the Violets but Christian Ramsebner’s first-half effort and late strikes from Gernot Tauner and Marko Raguz consigned the home side to a 3-0 defeat at Generali Arena.
