Aussie Trent Sainsbury has picked up silverware in the Netherlands with his club PEC Zwolle beating Ajax in the Johan Cruyff Shield on Sunday, with the winner scored by another former Hyundai A-League player.
In the annual Dutch Super Cup clash between last season’s league champions and cup winners, Zwolle produced a superb performance to edge out the favourites 1-0 at the Amsterdam Arena.
And the winner was scored by none other than former Hyundai A-League player Stefan Nijland 10 minutes after the break.
Nijland, who had a stint at Brisbane Roar in2013, turned home Kamohelo Mokotjo’s cross giving Ajax ‘keeper Kenneth Vermeer no chance with a clever finish.
While the hosts had a string of chances, Sainsbury and his defenders had an answer for everything to claim the season’s first trophy to go with their KNVB Beker triumph last season.
It’s the perfect start to the campaign for the former Central Coast Mariners star, who was in line for a spot in Ange Postecoglou’s World Cup squad until a knee injury scuppered those chances.
But he has started the new season with a bang and is sure to come into calculations for January’s AFC Asian Cup in Australia.
A couple of other Aussies were also in action overnight with Mat Ryan’s Club Brugge kicking off their Belgian Super League season with a 1-0 win over Lierse.
The Socceroos gloveman played a full 90 minutes and was flawless throughout as Brugge made a perfect start to the new campaign.
Fellow goalkeeper Mitch Langerak and Mustafa Amini both played half a game as Borussia Dortmund crushed FC Rapperswil-Jona 10-0 in a pre-season friendly.