Nestory Irankunda continued his fantastic form for Sporting CP in midweek, winning the penalty that gave them the lead in the UEFA Champions League against LASK.
Elsewhere, Yaya Dukuly picked up a match-saving assist in the UEFA Europa League, while Harry Souttar stood tall for Leicester City as the Foxes hope to turn their season around.
This week, CommBank Socceroos will face off in Denmark while Cristian Volpato will play his first game since signing a new long-term contract with Sassuolo.
In Focus
CommBank Socceroos face off in Denmark
Marcus Younis will be tasked with finding Paul Izzo's net on Saturday morning (AEDT) as Izzo's Randers host Younis' Brøndby.
It is a big game for both sides. Brøndby have a three-point buffer to the bottom half of the table, while a win for Randers could catapult them back into the top half.
Both players have been key for their respective teams this season and are set to have a big say when they come up against each other for the first time since 2024, when they played in the A-League Men.
Fixture: Randers FC v Brøndby, Saturday 24 October, 4.00am AEDT
Volpato re-signs for Sassuolo until 2031
In a show of faith from the Italian side, Cristian Volpato has re-signed for Serie A club Sassuolo until the 2030/31 season.
The 22-year-old had scored twice in five games before being felled by injury before the international break. He has since made his return to the side and is hoping to continue from where he left off at the beginning of the season.
Sassuolo travel to take on Como this weekend, looking for their third win of the season.
Fixture: Como v Sassuolo, Sunday 25 October, 12.00am AEDT
Midweek Headlines
Irankunda wins Champions League penalty
Nestory Irankunda once again had a big impact for Sporting CP in the UEFA Champions League, this time winning a penalty for his side in the early stages of the match.
The 20-year-old has been deployed in a wide role for the Portuguese side in this campaign and has been effective at drawing fouls and creating attacking opportunities. When he received the ball inside the penalty area within three minutes of the game, he did just that, going to ground and helping Sporting take the lead.
LASK came back into the game, however, and were eventual 3-2 victors.
Result: Sporting CP 2 - 3 LASK
90th minute assist for Dukuly helps rescue point
Yaya Dukuly came off the bench to help provide the decisive goal in NK Celje's 2-2 Europa League draw with RB Salzburg.
His ball in behind was pinpoint, playing in Armandas Kučys who made no mistake from close range. It is his first goal contribution for the club since scoring in the league in August.
Dukuly has been playing regularly for the Slovenian side, with the 23-year-old gaining valuable experience in continental competition.
Result: NK Celje 2 - 2 RB Salzburg
Souttar too strong for Bromley
Harry Souttar has continued his fantastic form in the EFL League One, helping Leicester City to a 4-0 victory over Bromley.
He played the full match with 89% passing accuracy, 15 clearances, 4 interceptions and 2 tackles. After a rocky start to the season, Leicester are starting to turn their season around, sitting tenth on the table with four wins from ten games.
Result: Bromley 0 - 4 Leicester City
Midweek Results
Gianni Stensness (Viking FK, Eliteserian) - full match in 3-1 defeat v Aston Villa in UEFA Champions League league phase
Alessandro Circati (SL Benfica, Liga Portugal) - full match in 4-1 victory v Omonia in Europa League league phase
Jason Geria (Albirex Niigata, J2 League) - full match in 2-1 victory v Sagan Tosu
Sam Silvera (MK Dons, EFL League One) - 88 minutes in 2-0 loss v Blackpool
Maty Ryan (Levante, La Liga) - three saves in goals in 3-1 victory v Athletico Bilbao
Deni Juric (Wisla Plock, Polish Ekstraklasa) - 31 minutes in 1-0 victory v Radomiak Radom
Kye Rowles (D.C. United, MLS) - 89 minutes in 2-1 defeat v Cincinnati
Jackson Irvine (Cerezo Osaka, J1 League) - not in matchday squad (suspended, yellow cards) in 1-1 draw v Nagoya
Eli Adams (Gamba Osaka, J1 League) - unused substitute in 2-1 win v Avispa Fukuoka
Tete Yengi (Machida Zelvia, J1 League) - not in matchday squad for 5-0 win v Shimizu
Upcoming Fixtures
Lucas Herrington (Hull City, Premier League) - v Brentford, Sunday 26 October, 1.00am AEDT
Maty Ryan (Levante, La Liga) – v Real Sociedad, Monday 26 October, 4.30am AEDT
Nestory Irankunda (Sporting CP, Liga Portugal) - v Academico Viseu, Monday 26 October, 7.30am AEDT
Alessandro Circati (SL Benfica, Liga Portugal) - v Santa Clara, Tuesday 27 October, 5.45am AEDT
Patrick Beach (Troyes, Ligue 1) – v Toulouse, Monday 26 October, 3.15am AEDT
Alex Robertson (Cardiff City, EFL Championship) – v Birmingham City, Sunday 25 October, 1.00am AEDT
Joe Gauci (Lincoln City, EFL Championship) – v Burnley, Sunday 25 October, 1.00am AEDT
Riley McGree (Middlesbrough, EFL Championship) – v Bolton Wanderers, Saturday 24 October, 6.00am AEDT
Kealey Adamson (QPR, EFL Championship) – v Swansea, Sunday 25 October, 1.00am AEDT
Harry Souttar (Leicester City, EFL League One) – v Luton Town, Saturday 24 October, 10.30pm AEDT
Sam Silvera (MK Dons, EFL League One) – v Stevenage, Sunday 25 October, 1.00am AEDT
Paul Okon-Engstler (FC Köln, Bundesliga) – v Schalke, Sunday 25 October, 12.30am AEDT
Connor Metcalfe (St Pauli, 2.Bundesliga) – v Darmstadt, Saturday 24 October, 3.30am AEDT
Nishan Velupillay (FC Ingolstadt, 3.Liga) – v Duisburg, Saturday 24 October, 11.00pm AEDT
Dylan Leonard (Alemannia Aachen, 3.Liga) – v Stuttgart II, Sunday 25 October, 1.30am AEDT
Martin Boyle (Hibernian, Scottish Premiership) – v Celtic, Sunday 25 October, 11.00pm AEDT
Cammy Devlin (Rangers, Scottish Premiership) – v St Johnstone, Sunday 25 October, 1.00am AEDT
Jacob Chapman (St Mirren, Scottish Premiership) – v Dundee, Sunday 25 October, 1.00am AEDT
Kasey Bos (Excelsior, Eredivisie) – v Sittard, Sunday 25 October, 10.15pm AEDT
Max Balard (NAC Breda, Eerste Divisie) – v Heracles, Saturday 24 October, 5.00am AEDT
Jacob Italiano (Grazer AK, Austrian Bundesliga) – v Tirol, Sunday 25 October, 2.00am AEDT
Ryan Teague (KV Mechelen, Belgian Pro League) – v Kortrijk, Saturday 24 October, 5.45am AEDT
Gianni Stensness (Viking FK, Eliteserian) - v Tromsø, Monday 26 October, 12.30am AEDT
Yaya Dukuly (Celje, Slovenian PrvaLiga) – v Korotan in the Slovenian Cup, Monday 1.00am AEDT
Deni Juric (Wisla Plock, Polish Ekstraklasa) - v Jagiellonia, Monday 26 October, 12.45am AEDT
Tete Yengi (Machida Zelvia, J1 League) - v Vissel Kobe, Saturday 24 October, 5.00pm AEDT
Jackson Irvine (Cerezo Osaka, J1 League) – v JEF United Chiba, Sunday 25 October, 5.00pm AEDT
Eli Adams (Gamba Osaka, J1 League) – v Kyoto, Saturday 24 October, 6.00pm AEDT
Jason Geria (Albirex Niigata, J2 League) - v Vegalta Sendai, Sunday 25 October, 4.00pm AEDT
Ajdin Hrustic (Al Nasr, UAE) – v Bani Yas in Presidents Cup, Saturday 24 October, 3.00am AEDT
Kye Rowles (D.C. United, MLS) – v Cincinnati, Sunday 25 October, 10.30am AEDT
Patrick Yazbek (Nashville SC, MLS) – v CF Montreal, Sunday 25 October, 4.30am AEDT
Aiden O’Neill (New York City SC, MLS) – v Orlando City, Sunday 25 October, 10.30am AEDT
Unavailable
Kai Trewin (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
