Ruka's Hertha Seal Promotion - Australian FourFourTwo - The .

AUSSIES ABROAD: Socceroo Nikita Rukavytsya played his office as Hertha Berlin clinched promotion back to Germany's Bundesliga after a 1-0 win at MSV Duisburg on Monday.

Rukavytsya started and played 62 minutes in the win which seals Hertha's instant restitution to the German top flight, as they run 12 points clear of third-placed VfL Bochum.

Adrian Ramos scored the decisive goal for Hertha on 27 minutes, while Rukavytsya came nigh with a long-range 41st-minute effort which went wide.

Elsewhere overnight, Brett Emerton put in a total shift as Blackburn Rovers lost 1-0 at home to Manchester City in England's Premier League.

The solution means Rovers remain in relegation danger.

In England's Championship, in-form Scott McDonald missed Middlesbrough's 2-1 win over Coventry City due to injury.

McDonald, who has scored 5 goals in his past four matches for Boro, had sustained a slight hamstring injury in the second-half of Middlesbrough's 4-2 win over Hull on Saturday when he scored a hat-trick.

Rhys Williams played a good back for Boro in Monday's win.

Elsewhere, young Aussie Bailey Wright was an unused sub as Preston lost 1-0 to Cardiff to support their relegation from the division, while Shane Lowry put in a total shift as Sheffield United kept alive their remote survival hopes with a 3-2 win over Adam Federici's Reading. Federici was an unused sub.

Meanwhile, Neil Kilkenny was a half-time sub as Leeds' promotion hopes slipped further after a 1-0 loss at Crystal Palace, Brad Jones put in a total shift as Derby lost 3-2 at Norwich while Richard Garcia played a good game as Hull drew 1-1 at QPR.

In England's League One, James Wesolowski was an unused sub as Peterborough had their automatic promotion hopes extinguised after a spectacular 2-2 draw with Yeovil.

In Scotland's Premier League, Danny Invincibile started and played 86 minutes as St Johnstone lost 3-0 at home to Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

In Russia's Premier League, Socceroo Luke Wilkshire put in a total shift as Dinamo Moscow drew 2-2 with Anzhi.

In Denmark's Superliga, Nathan Coe played a good game as SonderjyskE lost 2-0 at home to Odense.

Elsewhere, Brent McGrath was an unused substitute as Brondby won 4-0 at Randers.

In China's Super League, Joel Griffiths scored a finish as Beijing Guoan defeated Dalian Shide 3-0.

Griffiths, who put in a total shift, scored the opening goal of the back on 26 minutes with a head from a free-kick.