How Ghanaian players fared abroad: Poku, Opoku and Apau on target, Donkor sees red in Inter Milan loss

By Akyereko Frimpong Manson

Follow Akyereko on Twitter: @AkyerekOfficial

While the AFCON 2015 tournament is gathering momentum in Equatorial Guinea a lot of Ghanaian players got in action for their clubs across the globe with during the weekend with some enjoying great moments. 

Former Ghana Premier League Golden Shoe Award winner Nana Poku scored his tenth goal of the season in Europe while Johnathan Opoku and Mitch Apau also scored in their respective leagues.

It was a bad debut for starlet Isaac Donkor who was red-carded while in action for Inter Milan at Sassuolo on Sunday.

GHANAsoccernet.com's Akyereko Frimpong Manson has a comprehensive wrap on how Ghanaian players fared abroad over the weekend.

NETHERLANDS

Elvis Manu missed Feyenoord's 2-1 win over over ADO Den Haag due to injury.

Dordrecht remain at the foot of the Eredivisie table after drawing 0-0 with Heerenveen on Friday. Belgian-born Ghanaian defender Marvin Peersmann played the entire 90 minutes of the game for Dordrecht but Erixon Danso could not get in the Dordrecht squad for the tie.

On Saturday, Jeffrey Sarpong was in full time action for NAC Breda who managed to hold Excelsior Rotterdam to a 0-0 draw.

In other games, Dutch-born half-Ghanaian defender Johann Kappelhof played at lateral defence for FC Groningen when they defeated GA Eagles 2-0.

Rodney Antwi could not make the FC Utrecht squad for their 2-0 home loss against PEC Zwolle.

Shadrach Eghan was not in the FC Twente team that managed a narrow 2-1 win over Cambuur FC.

Jonathan Opoku scored a 67th minute consolation goal for Oss who lost 2-1 against De Graafschap on Saturday afternoon.

In other games in the second-tier league, Maastricht defeated Roda JC 3-1 to push themselves up the ladder. Belgian-born Ghanaian Marvin Ofori-Appiah sat on the Maastricht bench but winger Edwin Gyasi played 34 minutes while his brother Raymond Gyasi could not make the first team squad.

Marcel Appiah came on late for NEC Nijmegen when they further stretched the points gap at the top after beating Helmond Sport 3-1.

SPAIN

Derek Boateng watched from the entire game from the bench as Atletico Madrid edged his Eibar side 3-1 on Saturday.

In the La Liga Deportivo La Coruna out-muscled Rayo Vallecano 2-1 on Friday night. Ghanaian youngster Fatau Mohammed was not in the Rayo squad for the game.

Could-be Ghanaian Dannis Williams sat on the Athletico Bilbao bench as they posted a 2-0 win over Levante on Sunday.

Thomas Partey was unused by Almeria who won 1-0 against Getafe on Sunday.

In the Segunda Division, midfielder Kassim Nuhu was in full time action for nine-man Real Mallorca who lost 1-0 against Las Palmas.

ENGLAND

Wing-half Jeffrey Schlupp played the full 90 minutes for Leicester City who got hammered 3-1 at Manchester United on Saturday.

Albert Adomah played 68 minutes for Middlesbrough when they sneaked past Brentford 1-0.

Young striker Bernard Mensah came off the Watford bench to play the last one minute for them as they lost 2-0 at Bournemouth.

GERMANY

Kevin-Prince Boateng returned to action for Schalke 04 in the Bundesliga as he replaced Cameroonian Choupo-Moting in the Royal Blues' 1-0 win over Hannover 96.

Joe Gyau could not break into the Borussia Dortmund squad for their 0-0 draw at Leverkusen on Saturday.

In the Liga 3, German-born Ghanaian Reagy Ofosu was introduced in the 64th minute Chemnitzer FC who beat Fortuna Koln 3-1.

FRANCE

Caen moved themselves further away from the relegation zone after beating St Etienne 1-0. French-born Ghanaian full-back Dennis Appiah played the entire game for Caen.

In the Ligue 1, Kwame Nsor was handed a starting role for the first time this season and he lasted 68 minutes for Metz when they fared the spoils in a 0-0 draw with OG Nice.

In the Ligue de National Ghanaian midfielder Ben Amofa came off the bench to play the last five minutes for Strasbourg when they defeated FC Paris 2-1.

ITALY

In the Serie A young defender Isaac Donkor marked his full debut for Inter Milan on Sunday but he was red-carded as Sassuolo beat them 3-1.

Atalanta managed a narrow 2-1 win over Cagliari. Ghana U20 prospect Godfred Donsah played the entire game for Cagliari but striker Richmond Boakye-Yiadom played the last 8 minutes for Atalanta.

Isaac Cofie sat on the Chievo Verona bench when they lost 2-1 against Napoli.

Alfred Duncan came off the bench to play the entire second-half for Sampdoria when Torino hammered them 5-1.

Sulley Muntari and Michael Essien were both second-half substitutes for AC Milan who recorded a 3-1 win over bottom-placed Parma at the San Siro.

AC Milan loanee Kingsley Boateng sat on the Bari bench when they posted a comprehensive 4-0 win over Frosinone.

SCOTLAND

Partick Thistle suffered a 1-0 home loss at the hands of St Mirren. Ghanaian midfielder Abdul Osman lasted 74 minutes of the game for Thistle.

BELGIUM

Lokeren and Gent played out a pulsating 3-3 draw game on Sunday afternoon. Ghanaian defender Nana Akwasi Asare missed the game with suspension but youngster Eugene Ansah came off the bench to play the last minutes for Lokeren.

KRC Genk slipped to a 1-0 loss at Sporting Chaleroi on Saturday. Ghanaian midfielder Bennard Kumordzi missed the game with injury.

Waasland-Beveren and KV Mechelen shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw on Saturday. Ghanaian defender David Addy came off the bench to play the last 11 minutes for Waasland-Beveren.

Dutch-born Ghanaian defender Mitch Apau scored a 52nd solitary goal for Westerlo when they won 1-0 against Cercle Brugge.

EGYPT

In the Egyptian Premier League former Berekum Arsenal striker Nana Poku scored his tenth goal of the season with a brilliant finish for El Shorta when they drew 2-2 with Petrojet.

PORTUGAL

Bernard Mensah played full throttle for Vitoria Guimaraese who held Penafiel to a 1-1 draw.

Giants FC Porto made mockery of Pacaos Ferreira after beating them 5-0 on Sunday evening. Youngster Osei Barnes could not get into the Ferreira squad for the game.

Alhassan Wakaso played 85 minutes for Rio Ave who beat Estoril 2-1. Former Ghana U17 midfielder Emmanuel Boateng was unused by the side.

GREECE

Aziz Tetteh was booked in the 59th minute and played the entire game as Panathinaikos hammered his Platanias side 3-0.

TURKEY

Defender Daniel Opare could not get to play for Besiktas as he sat on the bench in their 2-1 triumph over Mersin.

Jerry Akaminko is still out with injury and missed Eskisehirspor's 1-0 loss at Konyasspor on Sunday.