There was plenty of action for Socceroos Abroad in midweek as they look to push their way into Graham Arnold's plans ahead of Australia's World Cup qualifier against Lebanon later this month.
Cameron Peupion made his senior starting debut in the English FA Cup, and there was compelling viewing over in Scotland as another Socceroos matchup ended in a tight stalemate.
And there is more exciting football to look forward to this weekend, with places on the line ahead of the next Socceroos squad.
Subway Socceroos
The mid-week action kicked off in Scotland as Keanu Baccus (cap #628) helped snatch a point for St Mirren as they drew 1-1 with Ross County on Wednesday. The midfielder picked up the assist for the side’s equaliser after coming on just after the hour mark. Baccus should get some more game time on Sunday at 2:00 am (AEDT) for St Mirren’s home match against Aberdeen.
Tweet: https://twitter.com/saintmirrenfc/status/1762817471529070992
There was a big Socceroos clash elsewhere in Scotland’s top flight as Hearts drew 1-1 with Hibernian on Thursday morning in the Edinburgh Derby.
Cameron Devlin (cap #625) and Nathaniel Atkinson (cap #620) both started for Hearts, with the latter playing a full match, while the former got through just over an hour. Kye Rowles (cap #622) came on in the 87th minute, and Olyroo Calem Nieuwenhof also played a full match.
Tweet: https://twitter.com/JamTarts/status/1762908371038933419
Hearts face a challenging fixture against Celtic on Sunday at 11:00 pm (AEDT), eager to avoid a repeat of the battering they copped last month against the similarly touted Rangers.
Martin Boyle (cap #599) and Lewis Miller (cap #635) played full games for Hibernian as Olyroo Nectarios Triantis was substituted on in the 81st minute. Hibs host Ross Country on Sunday at 2:00 am (AEDT), looking to continue their battle for a championship playoff spot.
Ryan McGowan (cap #546) helped keep a clean sheet in his full game for St Johnstone on Thursday morning as the side downed Aberdeen 2-0. McGowan should start once more when St Johnstone host Livingston on Sunday at 2:00 am (AEDT).
Dylan McGowan (cap #590) also helped keep a clean sheet for Hamilton Academical as they drew 0-0 with Stirling Albion on Wednesday in the Scottish League One. The defender will likely play again for Hamilton Academical’s away clash with Kelty Hearts on Sunday at 2:00 am (AEDT), with the team aiming to end a four-game winless run.
Callum Elder (cap #614) was not involved in Derby County’s 2-1 loss to Charlton Athletic on Wednesday morning in League One. The fullback might be back in the team on Sunday at 2:00 am (AEDT) as Derby welcome Port Vale.
Gethin Jones (cap #639) played all of Bolton’s 1-0 defeat to Wigan Athletic on Wednesday morning in a result that puts the pressure back on in the race for EFL League One promotion. Jones completed 82 of his 90 passes in defence, and should be in the starting 11 for the Wanderers' match against Cambridge United on Sunday at 2:00 am (AEDT).
In the Saudi Pro League, Craig Goodwin (cap #562) supplied Odion Ighalo for Al-Wheda’s opener against At Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League before the team went down 2-1 on Tuesday morning. Goodwin also started for Al-Wehda in their 3-3 draw with Al-Taawoun on Friday morning, playing a full game.
Tweet: https://twitter.com/ActuSPL/status/1762169940293861749
Aziz Behich (cap #547) was not in the squad for Al Nassr as they drew 4-4 with Al Hazem on Friday morning in the same competition.
Alessandro Circati (cap #637) came on in the 75th minute of Parma’s 1-1 draw with Cosenza in Serie B on Wednesday. Circati should be back in the starting team for the league leaders on Sunday at 12:00 am against Ternana.
Brad Smith (cap #575) played 75 minutes for Houston Dynamo as they knocked out St Louis City on Wednesday to make it through to the next round of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Smith looks set for some more minutes when Houston host New York Red Bulls on Sunday at 12:30 pm (AEDT) in Major League Soccer.
Tweet: https://twitter.com/HoustonDynamo/status/1762684330373988709
Looking forward to the weekend's action, Joe Gauci (cap #631) should be on the bench for Aston Villa’s away clash with Luton Town in the English Premier League on Sunday at 4:30 am (AEDT).
In the EFL Championship, Samuel Silvera (cap #634), Riley McGree (cap #609), Tom Glover are all likely to start when Middlesbrough travel to Stoke City on Sunday at 2:00 am (AEDT).
Elsewhere in England’s second tier, Massimo Luongo (cap #571) and Cameron Burgess (cap #633) should start for Ipswich Town in their away clash with Plymouth Argyle on Sunday at 2:00 am (AEDT).
Also, Harry Souttar (cap #606) is unlikely to be in action for Leicester City as they look to recover from two league defeats in a row against QPR on Sunday at 2:00 am (AEDT). Souttar was on the bench for City’s 1-0 win over Bournemouth in the FA Cup on Wednesday morning, which saw the team through to the quarterfinals of the historic competition.
Kusini Yengi (cap #638) will target some game time for Portsmouth as the EFL League One leaders host promotion-hopefuls Oxford United on Sunday at 2:00 am (AEDT).
Dimitri Petratos (cap #593) and Jason Cummings (cap #626) could both be in the starting lineup for Mohun Bagan SG as they host Jamshedpur on Saturday at 1:00 am (AEDT) in the Indian Super League.
Moving to the Netherlands’ Eredivisie, where Garang Kuol (cap #627) might get some minutes as FC Volendam take on NEC Nijmegen on Saturday at 6:00 am (AEDT).
Also, Mathew Ryan (cap #555) should be in goal for AZ Alkmaar for their away trip to Sparta Rotterdam on Sunday at 7:00 am (AEDT) as his team continue to battle for European places.
Finally, Ajdin Hrustic (cap #589) could start again for Heracles as they host Almere City FC on Monday at 6:00 am (AEDT), with the team looking to stay away from the Dutch top-flight relegation zone.
Over to the 2. Bundesliga in Germany, Jackson Irvine (cap #568) and Connor Metcalfe (cap #611) should start for St. Pauli against Schalke 04, looking to extend their lead at the top on Saturday at 4:30 am (AEDT).
John Iredale might also get on the pitch in the 2. Bundesliga with Wehen Wiesbaden travelling to Elversberg on Sunday at 11:30 pm (AEDT) in an interesting mid-table battle.
There is more Socceroos action to be expected in Belgium’s First Division A.
Starting with Jordan Bos (cap #632) who looks likely to start for Westerlo against Sporting Charleroi on Saturday at 6:45 am (AEDT).
Aiden O’Neill (cap #629) will look to continue his run of starts for Standard Liege in their home clash with Gent on Sunday at 6:45 am (AEDT).
Jason Davidson (cap #545) should be in line to start for Eupen when they travel to Anderlecht on Monday at 4:30 am (AEDT), looking to end a five-game losing streak in the league.
Fran Karacic (cap #607) missed Rudes’ 1-0 defeat to Rijeka on Thursday morning in the Croatian FA Cup.
Mitchell Duke (cap #559) could be back in the Machida Zelvia team for their away fixture against Nagoya Grampus on Saturday at 4:00 pm (AEDT) J. League.
Also in the competition, Thomas Deng (cap #598) should start again for Albirez Niigata on Saturday at 5:00 pm (AEDT) when they face Gamba Osaka.
Meanwhile, Mitchell Langerak (cap #566) might be the goalkeeper for Nagoya Grampus as they welcome Machida Zelvia on Saturday at 4:00 pm (AEDT).
In South Korea, Harrison Delbridge's (cap #623) Incheon United get their K League 1 campaign underway, welcoming Suwon FC on Saturday at 6:30 pm (AEDT).
In the Austrian Bundesliga, James Holland (cap #508) should start for Austria Wien as they travel to BW Linz on Monday at 3:00 am (AEDT).
Kenny Dougall (cap #608) will target another win with Buriram United when they host Bangkok United on Sunday at 10:00 pm (AEDT) in the Thai League.
Subway Olyroos
Cameron Peupion made his senior starting debut for Brighton and Hove Albion, playing the first half of the side’s 1-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Thursday in the English FA Cup. Peupion might be on the bench for Brighton when they travel to Fulham on Sunday at 2:00 am (AEDT) in the English Premier League.
Tweet: https://twitter.com/OfficialBHAFC/status/1762915163391373597
As mentioned earlier, Nectarios Triantis and Calem Nieuwenhof were involved in Hearts’ 1-1 draw with Hibernian. Triantis came on in the 81st minute for Hibernian, while Nieuwenhof got through all of the match for Hearts.
In Denmark Tyrese Francois will hope to keep his place in the starting line up after making his full debut for Vejle Boldklub last weekend. Their next match is against Danish giants Brøndby IF on Monday at 2:00 am (AEDT).
Nicholas Bilokapic will probably be on the bench for Peterborough United’s home tie with Exeter on Sunday at 2:00 am (AEDT) in EFL League One.
Jahce Novello was not in the squad for Cosenza on Wednesday morning when they drew 1-1 with Parma in Serie B. The attacker will seek some minutes on Monday at 2:15 am (AEDT) when Cosenza host Catanzaro.
In K-League 1's opening weekend Alexandar Popovic will be hoping to make his debut at home for Gwangju FC against FC Seoul at 4:00 pm (AEDT) on Saturday.
Louis D'Arrigo will next be in action for Lechia Gdansk against Resovia Rzeszów in Poland's I liga on Tuesday at 4:00 am (AEDT).
Tweet: https://twitter.com/LechiaGdanskSA/status/1762042125439369507