Aussies starring abroad

It has been a busy week for Australian footballers playing abroad with Asian competitions returning and friendlies heating up in Europe.

It has been a busy week for Australian footballers playing abroad with Asian competitions returning and friendlies heating up in Europe.

Former Central Coast Mariner Daniel McBreen scored one of the goals of the year playing for Chinese Super League club Shanghai East Asia.

The 2012-13 A-League Golden Boot winner scored a stunning lob from distance in the 26th minute to give his side a 1-0 lead.

Another former Mariner Bernie Ibini also played a full game for Shanghai while Aussie Daniel Mullen played a full game for Dalian Aerbin.

Despite his heroics, McBreen and Dalian could only secure a 2-2 draw, their third draw in a row, with Shanghai East Asia leaving them in ninth on the table.

In other Chinese Super League action Joel Griffiths came on in the second half and scored to give his side Qingdao Jonoon a 1-0 lead before the match against Changchun YaTai finished in a 1-1 draw, while Erik Paartalu played a full game as his side Tianjin Teda claimed a 1-0 victory over Hangzhou.

Socceroos hero Josh Kennedy helped his J-League side Nagoya Grampus to a 3-1 victory with a double against Kashima Antlers.

Kennedy has now scored six goals in 13 appearances as the side moved nine points above the relegation zone.

The 11th placed club will feel justified in its decision to not release him to play in the EAFF East Asian Cup despite him being called up by coach Holger Osieck.

Off the back of playing at the EAFF Cup for the Socceroos, Robbie Cornthwaite came on as a substitute for his K-League team Chunnam Dragons as they won 2-1 over Seongnam.

In Europe, Robbie Kruse played in a friendly for new club Bayern Leverkusen against fellow Bundesliga club FC Kaiserslautern.

The former Fortuna Dusseldorf and Melbourne Victory forward played 80 minutes as he looks to break into the starting side for the impending season.

Fellow Aussie Bundesliga player Mitch Langerak kept a clean sheet after playing a full match for his club Borussia Dortmund against lower league club Wurzberger Kickers as his side won 3-0.

Aston Villa's Chris Herd played the second half in the side's 5-0 friendly victory over Walsall FC as he hopes to also secure a spot in the side's starting eleve when the EPL season begins.

Last weekend's action saw Oliver Bozanic (FC Luzern) score a brace to give his Swiss Super League team a 3-2 victory while Matthew Leckie could not get his Bundesliga 2 side FSV Frankfurt a result despite scoring as they went down 2-1.

Socceroos hero Tim Cahill was also amongst the goals as he score in the 11th minute for New York Red Bulls in their 4-3 victory over Real Salt Lake as the side remained 2nd in the MLS. An injury he picked up from the game will however keep him out of the MLS All Stars game to be held today.