Ghanaian strikers hit top form in Europe
Four Ghanaian players were on the scoresheet for their European clubs ahead of the international break, plus a comprehensive report on how the others fared over the weekend.
In England:
Fulham crowned Roy Hodgson silverware as manager of the month with a valuable away draw to Wigan Athletic.
John Pantsil played 90 minutes to help the Cottagers contain the pressure from the desperate Wigan side.
Black Stars first choice goalkeeper Richard Kingston is still fighting for a place in the Wigan team.
Midfield dynamo Michael Essien was in his elements as Chelsea recorded a vital 1-0 win over Manchester United at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea have stretched the lead to five points. Aston Villa massacred Bolton Wanderers at the Villa Park. They went goal crazy netting five past the Trotters.
Mustapha Riga has become a constant absentee for Bolton. John Mensah's absence might have created some loopholes in the Sunderland defence.
The Black Cats went down two-nil to in-form Tottenham Hotspur.
Mensah was out with a minor calf injury.
An early first half goal Jamie O'Hara could not dampen the spirit of Blackburn Rovers as they staged a spirited comeback to crash struggling Portsmouth 3-1.
Ghana-convert Kevin-Prince Boateng was a delight to watch although Pompey lost the game.
Patrick Agyemang was an unused sub for QPR who escaped with all three points at Sheffield Wednesday.
The win has put Loftus Road side on a sound footing.
Holland:
Striker Mathew Amoah took his goal tally to 5 with a close range finish against visiting Willem II Tilburg.
NAC Breda produced an inspiring performance with an unbelievable four first-half-goals at the Rat Verge Stadion.
Eric Addo watched from the bench as Roda JC triumph 2-1 over Sparta Rotterdam at away.
Addo's position was overtaken by young center-back Jeanvion Yulu-Matondo.
Emmanuel Boakye remained in the Sparta back four and did full time action in that thrilling encounter in the Dutch Eredisivie.
FC Groningen thrashed Heracles 4-1 at home. Skipper Kwame Quansah's efforts in midfield were not enough to prevent his team from loosing by such a huge margin.
NEC Nijmegen failed to take advantage of RKC Waalwijk's numerical disadvantage as they lost 0-1.
Anthony Obodai paved way for Tony Varela on the 72nd minute whiles Fred Benson was a 90th minute substitute for the victors.
FC Utrecht suffered a 2-3 home loss to SC Heerenveen.
Left-back Nana Kwasi Asare played part in the FC Utrecht defence whiles center-back Francis Dickoh and academy graduate Erixon Danso warmed the bench for the home side.
U-20 star striker Ransford Osei is struggling to earn a place in FC Twente's first team. He failed to gain a place in their 1-0 win over Ajax.
In Germany:
TSG Hoffenheim were rocked by a home defeat to last season's champions VFL Wolfsburg.
The Hoffs surrounded the three points after Zvjezdan Misimovic has levelled the scoring after Vidad Ibisevic's 13th minute opener.
Isaac Vorsah was handed a starting role but failed to impress and was subbed on the 59th minute.
Isaac Boakye witnessed the game from the bench as Mainz 05 piped his underperforming Nurnberg 1-0 at the Stadion am Bruchweg.
Nurnberg are trapped in the relegation zone and lie third from bottom.
Hans Adu-Sarpei was allowed a place on the Leverkusen bench when they brushed Eintracht Frankfurt 4-0.
Adu-Sarpei has lost his place in the team to former Liverpool defender Sami Hyypia.
In the Bundesliga II, Charles Takyi was in a devastating form for St. Pauli as they nicked narrow 2-1 win over Fortuna Dusseldorf.
David Drobo-Ampem is nursing an injury which kept him out if action.
Italy:
In the Italian Serie A, Kwadwo Asamoah enjoyed a torrid weekend as Udinese lost at the Estadio Fruili to Fiorentina.
Les Zebrettes dominated play until Juan Vargas 84th minute strike disturbed the composure of the home side.
On the bench for Fiorentina was former Bechem FC 18-year-old Daniel Kofi-Agyei.
Meanwhile, Black Stars Stephen Appiah was not selected to face Palermo as Bologna cruised to a 3-1 home win because Bologna are still trying to sort out his International Transfer Certificate from his former club Fenerbahce.
Ahmed Ampimah Barusso was conspicuously missing in action for the Brescia who drew 2-2 with Trestina.
Sulley Muntari made a short retrun from injury to play the first department of the topliner in the Serie A.
Inter Milan needed a Samuel Eto'o strike to secure a point from the game.
France:
Moussa Sissoko opened the scoring for Toulouse but that did not last long as Asamoah Gyan levelled the scoring after just eleven minute.
Gyan shot from the center of the box to the top root corner of the net.
But the middle placed Toulouse won 3-2.
Moussa Narry warmed the bench for Auxerre who chalked success at Le Mans.
The win has pushed Auxerre to the third spot on the Ligue 1 table.
Andre Ayew lasted 82 minutes for Arles who won 1-0 against last season's Ligue 1 campaigners Le Havre.
Charles Boateng was part of the Dijon squad that won a point away to Ajaccio.
Other leagues:
William Tiero helped Academica Coimbra to scrap a point from their game with Uniao de Leiria.
Elsewhere in the Scottish Premier League, creative midfielder Prince Abankwah Buaben was at his best for Dundee United punished Kilmarnock 2-0 at the Rugby Park.
In the Spanish La Liga, a nine-man Depor deepened the woes of Getafe who lost their second consecutive game after losing to 10-man Real Madrid.
It was a disappointing weekend for Derek Owusu Boateng who was replaced on the hour mark.
It was comedy of errors at the Metallurg Stadium where Spartak Moscow ended their own dreams of reclaiming the Russian Premier league.
Quincy Owusu-Abeyie came on in the 62nd minute and assisted the Spartak consolation.
Bernard Yao Kumordzi continues to impress in the Greek League as he aided his club to post a 2-1 win over their host-FC Xanthi.
Elsewhere in the Belgian League, Germinal Beerschot crashed St. Truiden 4-1.
Fulham Academy loanee King Osei Gyan was absent for Beerschot but for St. Truiden midfielder Dennis Odoi played 90 minutes.
Ishmael Yartey inspired Beira Mar to a 2-1 away win over Freamunde.
Kwabena Asamoa-Frimpong Powered Lucern to 1-0 home win over FC Zurich. He scored the only goal of the game on the 57th minute.