Impressive Performances by Australian Football Stars Highlight Weekend Matches

Highlights from the Weekend

Each week, Football360 shines a spotlight on outstanding performances from Australian players across various leagues, from the NPL to the A-League and beyond. Recent matches revealed a slew of impressive showings from both Matildas and Socceroos. Notably, an Aussie coach is maintaining an impeccable record in Asia. Here’s the latest roundup of Football360's Team of the Week.

Starting XI

Goalkeeper: Mat Ryan (Levante) Mat Ryan, the captain of the Socceroos, delivered an exceptional performance for Levante, securing a penalty save and a clean sheet in their scoreless draw against Malaga in LaLiga. He thwarted a crucial spot-kick within the first ten minutes, showcasing his shot-stopping prowess.

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Left-back: Charli Grant (Malmo) In a dramatic finish, Charli Grant scored an equalizer in the 94th minute, securing a hard-fought point for Malmo in a 1-1 away draw against Hacken in the Swedish Damallsvenska. Centre-back: Steph Catley (Arsenal) Steph Catley played a pivotal role in Arsenal's solid start to their Women's Super League campaign, helping the team keep a clean sheet in their 1-0 victory over Brighton. With 93 touches and 75 accurate passes, her defensive contributions were paramount. Centre-back: Alanna Kennedy (London City Lionesses) Kennedy's defensive skills were on display as she assisted in London City Lionesses' opening goal in their impressive 2-1 victory against Manchester United, contributing with notable statistics: 63 touches, two interceptions, and three clearances. Right-back: Ellie Carpenter (Chelsea) Ellie Carpenter set up a crucial goal that led to Chelsea's 1-1 draw with Aston Villa in the Women's Super League. She assisted Lauren James’ goal early in the match, showcasing her ability to make critical plays. Midfielder: Ajdin Hrustic (Al-Nasr) Despite Al-Nasr's 2-1 defeat to Ajman, Hrustic scored within the first 26 minutes, marking a strong showing in his debut season after transitioning from the Dutch Eredivisie. Midfielder: Alana Murphy (Nottingham Forest) Murphy netted her first goal in the WSL for Nottingham Forest, contributing to a 1-1 draw against Ipswich Town, breaking the deadlock in the second half. Midfielder: Daniela Galic (Vittsjo) Galic had an impressive outing, scoring twice and aiding Vittsjo to a 5-0 rout of Uppsala in Sweden's Damallsvenskan. This marks a strong season start, adding to her tally of five goals and two assists so far. Forward: Caleb Watts (Plymouth) Coming off the bench, Watts played a crucial role in Plymouth Argyle's thrilling 3-2 victory over Doncaster in England's EFL League One. He assisted a goal before scoring the match-winner, marking Plymouth's first away victory of the season.

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Forward: Mohamed Toure (Norwich City) Toure continued his scoring streak with Norwich City, netting a goal in their 3-1 triumph over Sheffield United. His performance marked his third league goal of the season and solidified his position as one of the league's leading scorers since his debut. Forward: Mary Fowler (Manchester City) Fowler kicked off her WSL season strong, scoring in Manchester City's 3-1 victory over Birmingham City and finishing with an impressive 8.2 rating from Sofascore.

Substitutes

Paul Izzo (Randers) Izzo achieved his first clean sheet of the season, making three saves in Randers' commanding 3-0 victory over Brondby. Ryan Strain (Falkirk) Strain’s corner kick directly led to Falkirk's goal during their 1-1 draw with Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership. Kaitlyn Torpey (Newcastle United) Contributing defensively, Torpey helped Newcastle secure a 2-0 victory against Wolves in their season opener with multiple recoveries and defensive interventions. Alessandro Circati (Benfica) Circati made a successful Primeira Liga debut with Benfica, participating in their clean 3-0 win against Maritimo. Anthony Caceres (Bangkok United) Caceres recorded an assist in Bangkok United’s 3-1 victory over Sisaket United, proving instrumental in his team's performance. Jason Cummings (CAHCMC) Cummings capped off his Vietnamese league debut with a goal late in the match, contributing to a 3-1 win against Harry Kewell’s Hanoi FC. Asad Kasumovic (Adelaide City) Kasumovic scored twice as Adelaide City dominated Playford City 6-0, advancing to the NPL SA Grand Final after also finding the net in the semi-finals. Presley Ortiz (APIA Leichhardt) Ortiz, a top contender for the NPL NSW Golden Boot, added to his tally by scoring in APIA Leichhardt’s 3-0 win over NWS Spirit, propelling the team to the Grand Final.

Coach

Giancarlo Italiano (Lee Man FC) Italiano has made an impressive entrance into Hong Kong football, maintaining a perfect record with Lee Man FC—three wins from three matches. The team celebrated a commanding 3-0 victory over HKFC, striking a total of nine goals without conceding this season.