Another week, another Canadian international gains promotion into a top flight.
Marcel de Jong’s FC Augsburg all but assured themselves passage into the German Bundesliga with a 2-1 win over FSV Frankfurt on Sunday. Augsburg are in second place, three points above VfL Bochum with one match remaining and a 20-goal cushion on goal differential (the first tie-breaker if teams are level on points).
De Jong was once again in the starting lineup for Augsburg, putting in 90 minutes at left back.
Up next for de Jong and Augsberg is a season finale against 2.Bundesliga champs Hertha BSC, who started big Canuck striker Rob Friend in their 2-0 victory at Erzgebirge Aue on Sunday. Friend went the distance up top and scored the insurance goal just before half time.
Up a division, defender Kevin McKenna subbed on in the 78th minute for his club 1. FC Köln’s 2-0 away win Saturday over Eintracht Frankfurt. With one game left, Köln are in 13th place in the Bundesliga.
Over in England, David “Junior” Hoilett returned to Blackburn Rovers’ lineup Saturday after an injury spell, putting in 68 minutes of work in Blackburn’s 1-1 draw at West Ham. Blackburn are three points above the relegation zone with two matches left in the Premier League season.
In the English Championship, Norwich City hero Simeon Jackson played the full match on Saturday as the Canaries drew visiting Coventry City 2-2 in their final match of the season. Jackson earned nPower Championship Player of the Month honors for a stellar April that saw him bag eight goals to lead his side to promotion into the EPL.
Another Canadian that saw playing time in the Championship this past weekend was David Edgar, who went 90 minutes in the center of defense for Burnley on Saturday and earned himself a yellow card. Burnley drew visiting Cardiff City 1-1 to close out the season.
Preston North End played their final match as a Championship side, coming from behind to win 3-1 over Watford. Iain Hume started and scored the winning goal in the 56th minute, subbing out of the match immediately thereafter. PNE have been relegated to League One, with Hume telling the English press that he will stay with the side next season.
Elsewhere in the English second tier, Jaime Peters was dressed but did not leave the bench as his Ipswich Town fell 4-2 away to Leicester City.
In the Turkish top flight, Josh Simpson saw 90 minutes of action on Saturday as his side Manisaspor fell 1-0 to Gaziantepspor. Manisaspor are 13th in the Super League with two games left to play.
Up in Norway, Lars Hirschfeld was in goal for Vålerenga in a losing cause, as Brann topped Hirschfeld’s side 2-0 in Tippeligaen play. Also, Chris Pozniak started and played 35 minutes for Haugesund as they were defeated 4-3 by visiting Stabæk.
Elsewhere in Scandinavia, veteran midfielder Patrice Bernier played the final 15 minutes of FC Nordsjælland’s match Sunday at Esbjerg, a 2-0 loss in the Danish Superliga. The other Canadian to play in that league, Issey Nakajima-Farran, missed his team AC Horsen’s 1-0 loss to Randers with a groin strain.
Two more Canadians took the field in northern Europe, as IFK Mariehamn drew Rovaniemi 3-3 in Finland on Monday. Mason Trafford and Luca Bellisomo both played 90 minutes for Mariehamn.
A little further south, Tomasz Radzinski continued to rack up his goal tally in Belgium, scoring the first of Lierse SK’s three goals in what ended up being a 4-3 loss to YRKV Mechelen. The defeat dropped Lierse to second place in their group in Belgium’s unique postseason Europa League qualifying tournament, ending Lierse’s season as only the two group winners move on to the final.
There was some better news in Serbia as ‘keeper Milan Borjan picked up a clean sheet for FK Rad in a 1-0 victory versus Smederevo.
Another Canadian that was victorious was Pedro Pacheco, who scored the winning goal for CD Santa Clara in their 2-1 defeat of Fatima in the Portuguese Liga de Honra on Sunday.
In Switzerland, midfielder Daniel Imhof went the distance for FC St. Gallen as they tied Zürich 2-2.
Young Canadian striker Tosaint Ricketts was a late entrant for Politehnica Timisoara, subbing on in injury time as his side won 3-1 over Unirea Urziceni in Romanian league action on Monday.
Finally, Matt Lam continues to fly the flag for Canadians in Japan, playing the final half hour for JEF United Inchihara Chiba in their 1-0 victory over Tottori Gainare in J-2. Lam has been a regular since transferring over from FC Edmonton earlier this year.
