Australian youngsters Mustafa Amini and Kwame Yeboah have continued to stake strong claims for promotion to the first team at their Bundesliga clubs.
The pair have both been on the fringe of the first team at Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Mönchengladbach respectively and did their chances no harm with goals for their reserve sides on Thursday morning (AEST).
Amini, who had a good run in the Dortmund first team in pre-season, got through 90 minutes with Dortmund II and scored their only goal in a narrow 2-1 loss against MSV Duisburg.
It was a similar story for ex-Brisbane Roar attacker Yeboah, whose impressive strike wasn’t enough to help ‘Gladbach’s reserves who went down 2-1 to FC Koln II.
The duo weren’t the only Aussies in action around Europe overnight.
After being loaned out by Aston Villa this week, Chris Herd made his Bolton Wanderers debut and played a full match as they went down 2-1 to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the Capital One Cup.
Jason Davidson’s West Brom had better luck, seeing off Hull City 3-2 with the Socceroos left-back playing the full 90 minutes.
Mat Ryan had very little to do as his Club Brugge cruised to a 6-1 win at Eendracht Aalst in Belgium, where James Troisi’s SV Zulte Waregem won 4-0, with the former Melbourne Victory man getting through 70 minutes.
In the Netherlands, Luke Wilkshire’s Feyenoord were beaten 2-0 by Go Ahead Eagles while Trent Sainsbury had to be replaced at half-time as his PEC Zwolle won 3-2 against FC Oss.