Talisman Tim Cahill scored again in China, skipper Mile Jedinak returned from injury for Crystal Palace while there were club debuts for Adam Taggart and James Troisi as Aussies starred across the globe overnight.
Cahill, fresh from scoring a double in the Socceroos 3-0 win over Tajikistan on Tuesday, backed it up with the winner for Shanghai Shenhua.
The 35-year-old scored his side’s second goal right on the stroke of half-time, as they went on to win 2-1 at Guìzhou Rénhé.
It was Cahill’s ninth goal in all competitions over the last two months.
In England, Jedinak made an early return from a hamstring injury, playing the last 10 minutes as Palace conceded late to lose 1-0 against Manchester City.
Both Bailey Wright and Neil Kilkenny got through full games for Preston North End but they were beaten 2-1 at home by Derby County in the Championship.
It was also a home defeat for Massimo Luongo’s QPR, the playmaker getting through 73 minutes as they were humbled 2-1 by Nottingham Forest.
Socceroos ‘keeper Alex Cisak played the full 90 in League Two as his Leyton Orient held Cambridge to a 1-1 draw.
Bradden Inman (Crewe), James Meredith (Bradford City) and Shane Cansdell-Sheriff (Burton Albion) all played full matches for their respective clubs.
North of the border in Scotland and Tom Rogic played 73 minutes for Celtic who slumped to a shock 2-1 loss away at Aberdeen.
Two Aussies came head-to-head as Scott McDonald came off at half-time for Motherwell, who drew 1-1 with Ross County in which Jackson Irvine played a full game.
There was a debut for Taggart at Dundee United, the striker playing 70 minutes as they went down 2-1 at home to Kilmarnock. Ryan McGowan played a full match for United.
In Germany, Mat Leckie couldn’t inspire Ingolstadt to victory as they were held to a goalless draw by Wolfsburg, with the Socceroos winger getting through 85 minutes.
Robbie Kruse played the last 35 minutes for VFB Stuttgart as they were defeated 2-1 by Hertha Berlin.
Rostyn Griffiths played the full match for Roda JC in the Eredivisie as they drew 0-0 with NEC Nijmegen, while Trent Sainsbury watched from the bench as PEC Zwolle cruised 3-0 against Excelsior
Nathan Burns got through 84 minutes for FC Tokyo, who crushed Vissel Kobe 3-0 in the J-League, where Mitchell Duke also played a full match in Shimizu S-Pulse’s stalemate at Sagan Tosu.
Mark Milligan’s Bani Yas won 3-0 against Dubba Al Fujairah in the UAE as he got through 90 minutes, while Troisi’s first Al Ittihad appearance was a 2-1 win as he played just over an hour.
Ex-Brisbane Roar skipper Matt Smith scored a stoppage-time equalizer in Thailand as Bangkok Glass escaped with a 2-2 draw against Chonburi FC.
Elsewhere, Aziz Behich played the last 10 minutes for Bursaspor in Turkey as they won 3-2, while Josh Brillante played 56 minutes in Serie B, as his Calcio Como side lost 2-1 to Livorno.