Domestic Leagues
It also proved a memorable week for Australia’s Kusini Yengi and Japan’s Keisuke Goto, who scored their first goals in the Scottish Premiership and Belgian Pro League respectively.
Join the-AFC.com as we take look at what Asia’s finest have been up to as the 2025/26 action takes off in Europe.
Join the-AFC.com as we take look at what Asia’s finest have been up to as the 2025/26 action takes off in Europe.
England: Endo’s assist seals win for Reds
Liverpool opened the defence of their English Premier League title with a 4-2 win over Bournemouth, with Japan captain Wataru Endo assisting their fourth goal four minutes into stoppage time at Anfield.
Japan international midfielder Kaoru Mitoma played 83 minutes for Brighton in their 1-1 stalemate with Fulham, who grabbed their equaliser in the seventh minute of added time at the end of the second half.
Manchester City’s Uzbekistan international Abdukodir Khusanov stepped on in the 82nd minute in their 4-0 win over Wolves, who also sent in Korea Republic international Hwang Hee-chan at the same time.
Scotland: Asians impact League Cup
Australian international Kusini Yengi scored his first goal for Aberdeen in their 3-0 win over Greenock Morton in the Scottish League Cup second round. His countryman Nicolas Milanovic played for 60 minutes.
Japan international Daizen Maeda opened the scoring for Premiership champions Celtic in the 26th minute as they beat Falkirk 4-1 in their League Cup tie. His compatriot Shin Yamada came on in the 63rd minute, as did Korea Republic international Yang Hyun-jun.
Hibernian captain and Australian international Martin Boyle assisted his side’s first goal in the 43rd minute in their 2-0 League Cup win over Livingston. Teammate and countryman Jack Iredale played the full match while Livingston’s Australian international Ryan McGowan did the same.
Germany: Kim claims second trophy
Bayern Munich’s Korea Republic international defender Kim Min-jae made an 80th minute appearance in his side’s 2-1 defeat of Stuttgart in the German Super Cup. It was his second silverware since joining the club in 2023 after last season’s Bundesliga title.
Netherlands: Shiogai, Ueda on target
Kento Shiogai struck in the 83rd and 87th minutes to help NEC Nijmegen to a 4-1 Eredivisie win over Heracles. The Japanese U19 international came on in the 67th minute to replace Japan international Koki Ogawa, whose fellow international Kodai Sano and Indonesia international Calvin Verdonk both played the full match for Nijmegen.
Australian international Ajdin Hrustic made his debut for Heracles in the 81st minute.
Ayase Ueda scored Feyenoord’s 22nd-minute opening goal, and his second consecutive of the season, in their 2-0 win over Excelsior FC. The Japanese international played the full match, his teammate and Australian international Jordan Bos was on for 57 minutes while Korea Republic international Hwang In-Beom played the first half.
Excelsior brought in Korea Republic U20 international Yoon Do-young in the 67th minute.
Indonesia’s international midfielder Eliano Reijnders came on in the 71st minute in PEC Zwolle’s 2-0 win over newly-promoted Telstar. Fellow international Dean James played 80 minutes for Go Ahead Eagles in their 2-2 tie with Ajax, who used Japan international Ko Itakura for 77 minutes.
Sparta Rotterdam’s Japan international Shunsuke Mito was on the pitch for 21 minutes as his side beat FC Utrecht 2-1.
Australian international midfielder Max Balard played a full match in NAC Breda’s 2-1 win over Fortuna Sittard, who started Indonesian international Justin Hubner.
France: Winning start for Lee
Korea Republic international midfielder Lee Kang-in played 61 minutes for Paris Saint-Germain as they began their Ligue 1 title defence with a 1-0 win over Nantes, who featured Korea Republic internationals Kwon Hyeok-kyu for 80 minutes and brought in Hong Hyeon-seok after the break.
Lee also featured in the UEFA Super Cup, where he came on in the 68th minute and scored the first goal in the 85th as PSG came back to draw 2-2 with Tottenham Hotspur and then clinch the title 4-3 on penalties.
Rennes played Jordan international Mousa Al Tamari for 71 minutes in their 1-0 win over Marseille.
Saudi Arabia international Saud Abdulhamid was on for the last five minutes for Lens in their 1-0 loss to Lyon.
Monaco started Japan international Takumi Minamino in their 3-1 win over Le Havre, whose own Japanese international, Ayumu Seko, made his debut and played the full match.
Spain: Malaysia’s Garces makes his debut
Malaysian international defender Facundo Garces made his debut for Alaves and played a full match in his side’s 2-1 win over La Liga newcomers Levante.
Real Sociedad’s Japan international forward Takefusa Kubo scored in the 60th minute as his side came back from one goal down to draw 1-1 with Valencia.
Kubo’s fellow international Takuma Asano played 46 minutes for Mallorca, who started their La Liga campaign against Barcelona with two players sent off in the first half before going down 3-0.
Belgium: Goto-Yamamoto 1-2 for Sint-Truiden
Japan’s Keisuke Goto, assisted by countryman Rihito Yamamoto, scored Sint-Truiden’s winning goal one minute into stoppage time in their 2-1 win over Belgian Pro League newcomers La Louvière.
Japanese Leo Kokubo and Taiga Hata started for Sint-Truiden as did Japan international Ryotaro Ito. Fellow international Shogo Taniguchi came on in the 72nd minute while his countryman Kaito Matsuzawa was brought on three minutes before regulation.
Japan’s Takahiro Akimoto and Takuma Ominami played a full match for OH Leuven in their 2-1 defeat to Genk, who played Korea Republic international Hyeon-gyu Oh for 71 minutes.
Atsuki Ito, who plays internationally for Japan, was on the pitch for 90 minutes in Gent’s 1-1 draw with Mechelen.
Dender’s Indonesian international Ragnar Oratmangoen made his first club appearance in the 74th minute as his side lost 2-0 to Anderlecht.
Syrian international and Sporting Charleroi captain Aiham Ousou played a full match in their 1-1 stalemate with Antwerp, who started Japan international Yuto Tsunashima.
Japan’s Isa Sakamoto played the first half for Westerlo as his side crashed 4-1 to Cercle Brugge.
Photo: AFP
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