
Domestic Leagues
Endo was joined by compatriot Daizen Maeda who helped Celtic win the Scottish Premiership, so join the-AFC.com as we follow the trail of Asian stars in Europe this past week.
England: Endo’s Liverpool claim Premier League
Japan’s international captain Wataru Endo played 76 minutes in Liverpool’s 5-1 demolition of Tottenham Hotspur, which gave the Reds their second Premier League title in five years and pulled them level with Manchester United on 20.
Japan’s Kaoru Mitoma was on from the 62nd minute and headed home in the 89th for Brighton in their 3-2 win over West Ham United, giving them their first league win in six matches.
His fellow international Daichi Kamada played a full match for Crystal Palace in their come-from-behind 2-2 draw with Arsenal. The Eagles remain in 12th position in the Premier League.
Kamada also played the entire match in their 3-0 win over Aston Villa in the FA Cup semi-finals, taking them into their third final and first since 2016. They meet Manchester City, who beat Nottingham Forest 2-0, in the decider on May 17.
Australians Cameron Burgess played a full match while Massimo Luongo came on in the 86th minute as Ipswich Town went down 3-0 to Newcastle, a result which confirmed their relegation from the Premier League.
Scotland: Maeda helps Celtic to Premiership
Celtic secured a fourth straight Premiership title with their 5-0 mauling of Dundee, with Japan international Daizen Maeda assisting their second and third goals. Maeda played the full match while fellow international Reo Hatate was on for 74 minutes.
Dundee’s Socceroo Ryan Strain, who played a full match, did not have the best of days after scoring an own goal in the 30th minute. Hearts’ Australian international Cameron Devlin played a full match in their 1-0 defeat to Dundee FC, extending their goalless record to four league games.
Devlin’s fellow international Josh Nisbet was sent on in the 59th minute in Ross County’s 2-0 loss to Kilmarnock. County’s fifth straight defeat put them two points below Dundee in the relegation playoff position.
Motherwell’s Australian right-back Johnny Koutroumbis played the full 90 in their 3-2 win over St Johnstone. Palestine forward Oday Dabbagh was on the pitch for 74 minutes in Aberdeen’s 1-0 win over Hibernian, who, in their first defeat in 18 Premiership games, fielded Australian internationals Martin Boyle and Nectarios Triantis for the full match and Jack Iredale for 84 minutes.
Germany: Machino nets a brace
Holstein Kiel’s Japanese international Shuto Machino scored in the 15th and 90+1 minutes in their 4-3 win over Borussia Monchengladbach, who fielded his fellow international Ko Itakura for the duration of the match.
Korea Republic international defender Kim Min-jae was on for 46 minutes in Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich’s 3-0 win over Mainz, who played Japanese midfielder Kaishu Sano for the full match and Korea Republic international Lee Jae-sung for 87 minutes.
Sano’s international compatriot Ritsu Doan played 87 minutes in Freiburg’s 1-0 win over Wolfsburg.
Socceroo Connor Metcalfe came on in the 75th minute in St Pauli’s 0-0 stalemate with Werder Bremen and was sent off two minutes into time added on for a second yellow card.
Netherlands: Ueda contributes to Feyenoord win
Ayase Ueda scored the first goal in Feyenoord’s 4-0 win over PEC Zwolle, with the Japanese international opening proceedings in the 14th minute His teammate and Korea Republic international Hwang In-Beom came off in the 82nd minute while Zwolle’s Indonesian international midfielder Eliano Reijnders played the full match.
Japan international Seiya Maikuma was on from the 73rd minute and assisted AZ Alkmaar’s 90+7 minute goal as they came from behind to draw 1-1 with NAC Breda, who fielded Australian international Max Balard from the start.
Japan U23 international Shunsuke Mito was on for 67 minutes as Sparta Rotterdam drew 1-1 with Eredivisie leaders Ajax, which saw the latter maintain a seven-match unbeaten run.
Heerenveen’s Iraq international Hussein Ali made an appearance after the break in their 1-0 win over NEC Nijmegen, who fielded Indonesian international Calvin Verdonk and Japan international Kento Shiogai for 90 minutes, Japan’s Kodai Sano for 81 minutes and Shiogai’s fellow international Koki Ogawa from the 60th.
Almere City started Indonesia international Thom Haye and his Iraq counterpart Ali Jasim in their goalless draw with Go Ahead Eagles. Haye played 80 minutes while Jasim stayed on for 85 minutes.
France: Lucky fourth for Onaiwu
Japan’s Ado Onaiwu scored twice in Auxerre’s 4-0 win over Lens, whose custodian and Australian international Mathew Ryan played the full match. This was Onaiwu’s fourth goal in 28 appearances this season.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Korea Republic international midfielder Lee Kang-in assisted their only goal in the 33rd minute in their 1-1 draw with Nantes. PSG remained unbeaten at the top of Ligue 1 as of this match but saw their run come to an end in the next tie when they went down 3-1 at home to Nice.
Monaco’s Japan international Takumi Minamino came on after the break in their 1-1 draw with Le Havre, which keeps his side in second place with 55 points - 23 behind PSG.
Jordan international Mousa Al Tamari was substituted after the break in Rennes’ 4-1 defeat to Lyon. His side are currently 11th in Ligue 1 with 38 points from 31 games.
Montpellier’s United Arab Emirates international Junior Ndiaye played 68 minutes in their 0-0 stalemate with Reims, who started Japanese internationals Keito Nakamura and Junya Ito and brought in their fellow international Hiroki Sekine in the 69th minute.
Italy: Shomurodov does his part
Eldor Shomurodov assisted Roma’s only goal in the 22nd minute in their 1-0 win over second-placed Inter.
The Uzbekistan national team captain was replaced in the 58th minute in a match that saw them extend their unbeaten streak to 18 Serie A games.
Japanese custodian Zion Suzuki suffered defeat with Parma after their 1-0 loss at the hands of Juventus. Indonesia’s national team captain and Venezia skipper Jay Idzes played a full match as his side lost 2-0 to Milan, leaving them in the relegation zone with 25 points from 34 games.
Spain: Kubo’s Sociedad maintains winless run
Real Sociedad’s Japan international Takefusa Kubo played 66 minutes in their 1-0 loss to Deportivo Alaves, a result which saw them finish winless for the third straight match.
Belgium: Al Sahafi gets his name on the scoresheet
Beerschot’s Saudi Arabia international Marwan Al Sahafi scored his sixth goal of the season in their 2-0 defeat of Kortrijk in the Belgian Pro League’s relegation round. His fellow international Faisal Al Ghamdi played the full match.
Japan’s Isa Sakamoto scored Westerlo’s second goal in their 3-2 win over Mechelen in the Conference League Group playoff match. He also featured for 60 minutes in their 2-2 draw on Matchday 6 of the playoff round against Mechelen.
Photo: AFP