CommBank Socceroos Abroad: Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen on horizon for Socceroos

Big games are on the horizon for Lucas Herrington and Paul Okon-Engstler, who could face European giants Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen respectively this weekend.

Meanwhile, Eli Adams scored a stunner in the Asian Champions League midweek, while Alessandro Circati added to his minutes for Benfica in the Europa League.

The Headliners

Hull City and Herrington to face league leaders Arsenal

A big test awaits Hull City as they take on Arsenal this weekend.

The Gunners are currently top of the Premier League, with eight wins from nine matches, and will hope to continue that good form against newly promoted Hull. The Tigers are no strangers to giant killing this season, however, and will back themselves against the in-form team in the competition.

19-year-old Herrington has played in seven Premier League games this season and will hope to have another opportunity to test himself against the best when they face the Gunners.

Fixture: Arsenal v Hull, Sunday 8 November, 2.00am AEDT

Bayer Leverkusen awaits Okon-Engstler

After playing his first full match in the Bundesliga last week, Bayer Leverkusen are the next opponents awaiting Paul Okon-Engstler and FC Köln.

Köln are currently midtable, having acquired nine points from their eight games this season. Leverkusen are perennial contenders for European places but are struggling by their standards this season, having already lost three games.

The 21-year-old will hope he can contribute for Köln and help them capitalise after Leverkusen's midweek European tie.

Fixture: FC Köln v Bayer Leverkusen, Monday 9 November, 1.30am AEDT

New coach for Nestory to impress

Nestory Irankunda will have a new regime to impress as Paulo Fonseca was revealed midweek as the new permanent Head Coach for Sporting CP.

Irankunda started the season well, starting in six league and continental games in a row, before sitting on the bench as an unused substitute midweek. The 20-year-old will have to adapt to a new tactical style as the new coach establishes his own system.

He will have a first chance to impress if given the opportunity to take the field in the league on the weekend.

Fixture: Sporting CP v Moreirense, Sunday 8 November, 7.30am AEDT

Midweek Headlines

European Football for Circati

Alessandro Circati started and played the full match as SL Benfica defeated Lech Poznan 3-1 in the UEFA Europa League.

Benfica had their two goal advantage halved in the second half before a 90th minute goal sealed the result for the Portuguese side. They have now won four from four Europa League games this campaign and sit top of the league standings.

Circati has been a feature in continental and cup competitions since joining Benfica in the off-season as he continues to establish himself in his new team.

Result: SL Benfica 3 - 1 Lech Poznan

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by CommBank Socceroos (@socceroos)

Adams scores stunner

Eli Adams, who was called up for the September CommBank Socceroos camp, turned heads with a stunning free kick goal in the Asian Champions League midweek.

He won a foul outside the penalty area and lined up to take it himself. The shot was superb, swirling midair, and bamboozling the goalkeeper to restore Gamba Osaka's 2-1 lead.

It would be his final action of the game, withdrawn in the 70th minute. The match ended 3-3.

Result: Pohang Steelers 3 - 3 Gamba Osaka in Asian Champions League

Midweek Results

Ajdin Hrustic (Al Nasr, UAE) - 74 minutes in 4-1 win v Qatar SC in the Gulf Club Champions League

Nestory Irankunda (Sporting CP, Liga Portugal) - unused substitute in 1-0 win v Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Champions League

Gianni Stensness (Viking FK, Eliteserian) - full match in 4-1 win v Sabah FC in the UEFA Champions League

Yaya Dukuly (Celje, Slovenian PrvaLiga) - v Sturm Graz in Europa League, Friday 6 November, 7.00am AEDT

Tete Yengi (Machida Zelvia, J1 League) - 5 minutes in 2-1 win v Shanghai Shenhua in Asian Champions League

Maty Ryan (Levante, La Liga) – v Terancon in Copa del Rey, Friday 6 November, 5.00am AEDT

Cristian Volpato (Sassuolo, Serie A) - not in matchday squad for 4-2 defeat v Fiorentina

Joe Gauci (Lincoln City, EFL Championship) – unused substitute in 1-0 defeat v Watford

Riley McGree (Middlesbrough, EFL Championship) - 30 minutes in 2-0 defeat v Wrexham

Kealey Adamson (QPR, EFL Championship) - full match in 1-1 draw v Burnley

Alex Robertson (Cardiff City, EFL Championship) - full match in 3-3 draw v West Ham

Paul Izzo (Randers FC, Danish Superliga) - not in matchday squad for 1-0 loss v Lyngby in Betano Pokalen

Jason Geria (Albirex Niigata, J2 League) - 25 minutes in 1-0 win v Kofu

Alessandro Circati (SL Benfica, Liga Portugal) - unused substitute in 1-0 win v Alverca

Ryan Teague (KV Mechelen, Belgian Pro League) - not in matchday squad for 3-1 win v Kortrijk

Max Balard (NAC Breda, Eerste Divisie) – 58 minutes in 2-0 win v Jong PSV

Upcoming Fixtures

Maty Ryan (Levante, La Liga) – v Celta Vigo, Monday 9 November, 4.30am AEDT

Patrick Beach (Troyes, Ligue 1) – v PSG, Sunday 8 November, 7.05am AEDT

Cristian Volpato (Sassuolo, Serie A) - v AS Roma, Sunday 8 November, 6.45am AEDT

Alessandro Circati (SL Benfica, Liga Portugal) - v Estrela, Monday 9 November, 7.30am AEDT

Alex Robertson (Cardiff City, EFL Championship) – v Burnley, Sunday 8 November, 2.00am AEDT

Joe Gauci (Lincoln City, EFL Championship) – v QPR, Sunday 8 November, 2.00am AEDT

Kealey Adamson (QPR, EFL Championship) – v Lincoln City, Sunday 8 November, 2.00am AEDT

Riley McGree (Middlesbrough, EFL Championship) - v Watford, Sunday 8 November, 2.00am AEDT

Sam Silvera (MK Dons, EFL League One) – v Swindon Town in FA Cup, Sunday 8 November, 2.00am AEDT

Connor Metcalfe (St Pauli, 2.Bundesliga) – v Magdeburg, Sunday 8 November, 11.30pm AEDT

Dylan Leonard (Alemannia Aachen, 3.Liga) – v RW Essen, Sunday 8 November, 12.00am AEDT

Nishan Velupillay (FC Ingolstadt, 3.Liga) - v Dusseldorf, Sunday 8 November, 12.00am AEDT

Martin Boyle (Hibernian, Scottish Premiership) - v Aberdeen, Sunday 8 November, 4.45am AEDT

Jacob Chapman (St Mirren, Scottish Premiership) – v Rangers, Sunday 8 November, 7.00am AEDT

Kasey Bos (Excelsior, Eredivisie) – v G.A. Eagles, Sunday 8 November, 7.00am AEDT

Max Balard (NAC Breda, Eerste Divisie)  - v Dordrecht, Saturday 7 November, 6.00am AEDT

Ryan Teague (KV Mechelen, Belgian Pro League) – v Leuven, Sunday 8 November, 4.15am AEDT

Paul Izzo (Randers FC, Danish Superliga) - v Nordsjaelland, Monday 9 November, 2.00am AEDT

Marcus Younis (Brøndby IF, Danish Superliga) - v FC Copenhagen, Sunday 8 November, 10.00pm AEDT

Gianni Stensness (Viking FK, Eliteserian) - v KFUM Oslo, Monday 9 November, 3.00am AEDT

Yaya Dukuly (Celje, Slovenian PrvaLiga) – v Radomlje, Monday 9 November, 3.30am AEDT

Deni Juric (Wisla Plock, Polish Ekstraklasa) - v Motor Lublin, Saturday 7 November, 4.00am AEDT

Jacob Italiano (Grazer AK, Austrian Bundesliga) - v A. Lustenau, Sunday 8 November, 3.00am AEDT

Ajdin Hrustic (Al Nasr, UAE) - v United FC, Sunday 8 November, 11.55pm AEDT

Tete Yengi (Machida Zelvia, J1 League) - v Hiroshima, Sunday 8 November, 4.00pm AEDT

Eli Adams (Gamba Osaka, J1 League) - v Cerezo Osaka, Sunday 8 November, 5.00pm AEDT

Jackson Irvine (Cerezo Osaka, J1 League) – v Gamba Osaka, Sunday 8 November, 5.00pm AEDT

Jason Geria (Albirex Niigata, J2 League) - v Imabari, Saturday 7 November, 4.00pm AEDT

Kye Rowles (D.C. United, MLS) – v New York City, Sunday 8 November, 8.00am AEDT

Patrick Yazbek (Nashville SC, MLS) – v Cincinnati, Sunday 8 November, 8.00am AEDT

Unavailable

Kai Trewin (New York City FC, MLS) – Injured

Aiden O’Neill (New York City FC, MLS) – Injured

Jordy Bos (Feyenoord, Eredivisie) – Injured

Lewis Miller (Blackburn, EFL Championship) – Injured

Cameron Burgess (Swansea City, EFL Championship) – Injured

Mo Toure (Norwich City, EFL Championship) - Injured

Cammy Devlin (Rangers, Scottish Premiership) - Injured