How are our Socceroos faring overseas?
Tom Rogic – Celtic
Overall, this season has been a resounding success for the Socceroos midfielder, but this weekend will be one he would like to forget as he showed he is fallible at a critical moment. In the Scottish Cup semi-final against his club’s best friend in Rangers, Rogic started on the bench before he was brought on in the 84th minute with the scores locked at 1-1. He scored an equaliser in the 106th minute to send the game to a shootout. The chance was there for Rogic to be the hero, but shortly after, but the former Central Coast Mariner could not find the net on that occasion.
⚽️ GOAL!! @RangersFC 2-2 @celticfc | It's @Socceroos star @Tom_Rogic!!! Game on again!! #ScottishCup #OldFirm https://t.co/Guv9kgRuVE
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_AUS) April 17, 2016
As the shootout progressed, many Australian fans were wondering when their golden boy would get the opportunity to step up. In the seventh round of penalties, Rogic got his chance to keep the tie going, but skied his penalty, showing that in his wide-ranging repertoire of skills, penalties are not one of them – yet, anyway. It was a disappointing end to a game that Celtic would desperately haver liked to have won, but for the time being they will have to settle for running away with the Scottish Championship and hope to renew their rivalry with Rangers when they return to the top flight next season.
Ryan McGowan – Henan Jiaye
It looked like McGowan was going to be able to get his weekend off to a great start in the Chinese Super League. His side was up against heavyweights Guangzhou Evergrande and his first half goal gave his side an unlikely lead. Unfortunately, the lead would be run over in the second half as Guangzhou scored two goals soon after the break to give them a win. It is still too early to be reading too much into the table, but McGowan’s side is off to a decent start, sitting in fifth place on seven points after five rounds.
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Nathan Burns – FC Tokyo
Making his first start in the league for FC Tokyo this year, Burns managed to make an immediate impact for his side, scoring in the fourth minute against Kawasaki Frontale. His goal was cancelled out seven minutes later, however, before the game got quite intense in the second half. Ryochi Maeda put Tokyo back on top 10 minutes after the break before Kawasaki finished the stronger of the two sides. Burns was withdrawn in the 74th minute just before his side conceded a penalty that would level the match. In stoppage time, Kawasaki scored a further two goals to take all three points from the game.
Bailey Wright – Preston North End
The Socceroos defender played a full game for his side as they appear set to finish in the middle of the table in their first season in the Championship since 2010-11. Wright performed the obligatory defensive task of picking up a yellow card during the second half in PNE’s 1-1 draw with relegation-threatened MK Dons.
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