Asians In European Leagues
The games keep on coming for Asian players plying their trade out west.
Kim Dong-jin (Zenit St Petersburg and South Korea)
The former FC Seoul defender is in fine form as are Dick Advocaat’s team. After scoring in midweek in the UEFA Cup, Kim was solid at the back as Zenit won 4-1 at FC Rubin Kazan to go three points clear at the top of th e league above Spartak Moscow.
Rahman Rezaei (Livorno and Iran)
The veteran defender came off the bench with 19 minutes remaining as Livorno were leading 2-1 against Inter Milan. Within a minute he gave away a penalty that Zlatan Ibrahimovich converted – the scoreline stayed at 2-2.
Shunsuke Nakamura (Celtic and Japan)
An injury picked up during Celtic’s Champions League loss in Ukraine ruled the Japanese star out of the club’s 3-2 defeat at Hibernian on Sunday.
Seol Ki-hyeon (Fulham and South Korea)
The Sniper came on with 16 minutes remaining as Fulham were 3-2 down at home to Manchester City. Seol was impressive; his header created Fulham’s equaliser and his runs caused problems for a creaking City defence.
Sun Jihai (Manchester City and China)
The Chinese star came on with seven minutes remaining of City’s entertaining 3-3 draw at Fulham but had no time to make an impact.
Lee Chun-soo (Feyenoord and South Korea)
Lee is in the Netherlands but played no part in Feyenoord’s 4—0 defeat at PSV Eindhoven. He should make his debut next weekend against Heerenveen.
Vahid Hashemian (Hannover and Iran)
Came off the bench for the last 25 minutes as Hannover crashed to a 3-0 home defeat at the hands of Bayer Leverkusen.
Takayuki Morimoto (Catania and Japan)
The teenager didn’t make the bench as Catania lost 1-0 at home to Fiorentina.
Lee Dong-guk (Middlesbrough and South Korea)
Came on after just 12 minutes to replace the injured Tuncay and almost scored in the second half, shooting just wide as Middlesbrough drew 2-2 with Sunderland.
Daisuke Matsui (Le Mans and Japan)
The midfielder, linked with Wolfsburg and Spanish club Osasuna last week, spent the entire game on the bench as Le Mans won 1-0 at Strasbourg to go fifth.
Naohiro Takahara (Eintracht Frankfurt and Japan)
Was introduced as a substitute at half-time but wasn’t able to get on the scoresheet as Frankfurt drew 0-0 at Bochum.
Shao Jiayi (Energie Cottbus and China)
Things are going from bad to worse in east Germany. Cottbus hot rock bottom and coach Petrik Sander was fired. Shao came off the bench midway through the second half.
Koji Nakata (Basle and Japan)
The midfielder had a good game as FC Basle won 3-0 at Neuchatel Xamax.
Mehdi Mahdavikia (Eintracht Frankfurt and Iran)
Mahdavikia had said last week that he has to improve and he did just that with a solid display as Frankfurt were held to a goalless draw.
Lee Young-pyo (Tottenham and South Korea)
Lee wasn’t used in Tottenham’s 6-1 UEFA Cup win in midweek and was on the bench on Sunday as Spurs drew 1-1 at Bolton – he was replaced by Benoit Assou-Ekotto and has a fight on his hands for the left-badck spot.
Junichi Inamoto (Eintracht Frankfurt and Japan)
Another game and another 90 minutes for Ina who is making himself at home in the Frankfurt midfield though his team will look at the goalless draw at Bochum as two points dropped.
Andranik Teymourian (Bolton and Iran)
Nowhere to be seen as Bolton drew 1-1 at home to Spurs.
Alex Santos (Salzburg and Japan)
Withdrawn with 11 minutes remaining – and watched from the bench as Salzburg surrender a one-goal lead to draw 1-1 at SC Rheindorf Altach. Salzburg slip to fourth.
Javad Nekounam (Osasuna and Iran)
The inspirational midfielder is set to miss most of the season after damaging a cruciate ligament in pre-season training.
Park Ji-sung (Manchester United and South Korea)
Park has been out of action since the end of March and his knee injury is expected to keep him out of the Manchester United line-up until January.
Kim Dong-jin (Zenit St Petersburg and South Korea)
The former FC Seoul defender is in fine form as are Dick Advocaat’s team. After scoring in midweek in the UEFA Cup, Kim was solid at the back as Zenit won 4-1 at FC Rubin Kazan to go three points clear at the top of th e league above Spartak Moscow.
Rahman Rezaei (Livorno and Iran)
The veteran defender came off the bench with 19 minutes remaining as Livorno were leading 2-1 against Inter Milan. Within a minute he gave away a penalty that Zlatan Ibrahimovich converted – the scoreline stayed at 2-2.
Shunsuke Nakamura (Celtic and Japan)
An injury picked up during Celtic’s Champions League loss in Ukraine ruled the Japanese star out of the club’s 3-2 defeat at Hibernian on Sunday.
Seol Ki-hyeon (Fulham and South Korea)
The Sniper came on with 16 minutes remaining as Fulham were 3-2 down at home to Manchester City. Seol was impressive; his header created Fulham’s equaliser and his runs caused problems for a creaking City defence.
Sun Jihai (Manchester City and China)
The Chinese star came on with seven minutes remaining of City’s entertaining 3-3 draw at Fulham but had no time to make an impact.
Lee Chun-soo (Feyenoord and South Korea)
Lee is in the Netherlands but played no part in Feyenoord’s 4—0 defeat at PSV Eindhoven. He should make his debut next weekend against Heerenveen.
Vahid Hashemian (Hannover and Iran)
Came off the bench for the last 25 minutes as Hannover crashed to a 3-0 home defeat at the hands of Bayer Leverkusen.
Takayuki Morimoto (Catania and Japan)
The teenager didn’t make the bench as Catania lost 1-0 at home to Fiorentina.
Lee Dong-guk (Middlesbrough and South Korea)
Came on after just 12 minutes to replace the injured Tuncay and almost scored in the second half, shooting just wide as Middlesbrough drew 2-2 with Sunderland.
Daisuke Matsui (Le Mans and Japan)
The midfielder, linked with Wolfsburg and Spanish club Osasuna last week, spent the entire game on the bench as Le Mans won 1-0 at Strasbourg to go fifth.
Naohiro Takahara (Eintracht Frankfurt and Japan)
Was introduced as a substitute at half-time but wasn’t able to get on the scoresheet as Frankfurt drew 0-0 at Bochum.
Shao Jiayi (Energie Cottbus and China)
Things are going from bad to worse in east Germany. Cottbus hot rock bottom and coach Petrik Sander was fired. Shao came off the bench midway through the second half.
Koji Nakata (Basle and Japan)
The midfielder had a good game as FC Basle won 3-0 at Neuchatel Xamax.
Mehdi Mahdavikia (Eintracht Frankfurt and Iran)
Mahdavikia had said last week that he has to improve and he did just that with a solid display as Frankfurt were held to a goalless draw.
Lee Young-pyo (Tottenham and South Korea)
Lee wasn’t used in Tottenham’s 6-1 UEFA Cup win in midweek and was on the bench on Sunday as Spurs drew 1-1 at Bolton – he was replaced by Benoit Assou-Ekotto and has a fight on his hands for the left-badck spot.
Junichi Inamoto (Eintracht Frankfurt and Japan)
Another game and another 90 minutes for Ina who is making himself at home in the Frankfurt midfield though his team will look at the goalless draw at Bochum as two points dropped.
Andranik Teymourian (Bolton and Iran)
Nowhere to be seen as Bolton drew 1-1 at home to Spurs.
Alex Santos (Salzburg and Japan)
Withdrawn with 11 minutes remaining – and watched from the bench as Salzburg surrender a one-goal lead to draw 1-1 at SC Rheindorf Altach. Salzburg slip to fourth.
Javad Nekounam (Osasuna and Iran)
The inspirational midfielder is set to miss most of the season after damaging a cruciate ligament in pre-season training.
Park Ji-sung (Manchester United and South Korea)
Park has been out of action since the end of March and his knee injury is expected to keep him out of the Manchester United line-up until January.