Leckie scores twice in Hertha’s big pre-season win

Caltex Socceroos winger Mathew Leckie is warming up nicely for the new Bundesliga season, scoring a brace for Hertha Berlin in the club’s latest pre-season friendly on Tuesday morning (AEST).

Leckie struck twice in the first half as the Bundesliga side beat Austrian second division side FC Liefering in Schladming.

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It took less than nine minutes for Leckie to open the scoring, getting on the end of Ondrej Duda’s ball over the top and showing great composure to finish truly with his left foot.

SEE LECKIE'S FIRST GOAL BELOW

The 27-year-old then doubled the lead on 33 minutes, this time with his head.

A swift attack down Hertha’s left ended with Maximilian Mittelstädt putting in a terrific cross which Leckie met with a stooping header which went in off the post.

WATCH LECKIE'S SECOND GOAL BELOW

With Hertha leading 2-1 at the break, Leckie was one of 10 substitutions at half-time by manager Pal Dardai, with the Germans scoring twice more to cap an excellent pre-season performance.

“Compliments to the lads. We trained really hard this morning, so they put a real shift in,” Dardai said.

“Our goals were no piece of luck. They were well-executed moves.”

Leckie, who was one of the Caltex Socceroos best players at the recent FIFA World Cup in Russia, has only returned to pre-season training with Hertha for the last week.

The Berlin club open their Bundesliga season at home against FC Nurnberg on Saturday, August 25.

Elsewhere, Robbie Kruse’s Vfl Bochum have opened their 2.Bundesliga campaign with a 1-0 loss away at Dynamo Dresden.

Kruse played a full game for the visitors, who went down after Lucas Roser scored the only goal of the match six minutes from half-time.

Bochum is on the road again this weekend,  travelling to MSV Duisburg on Saturday night  (9pm AEST).

In England’s Championship, Jackson Irvine watched from the bench as Hull City opened the new season with a disappointing 3-1 loss at home against Aston Villa.

Caltex Socceroos skipper Mile Jedinak didn’t make Villa’s matchday squad after only returning to pre-season late following the World Cup.