Kickoff (Cape Town)
1 December 2008
Sulley Muntari and Laryea Kingston were the stars of the weekend on an improved but another disappointing weekend for Ghanaians plying their trade in Europe.
The Italy and Scotland based midfielders scored the winning goals for their sides in top liners but the weekend was once again a tale of bench warming for many of the country's top players in a trend that should begin to worry Milovan Rajevac.
In Italy, Muntari scored the winning goal with a classy back-heel and after setting up the opening goal with a left sided cross all in the second half in Inter's 2-1 win over Napoli.
A day earlier on Saturday Laryea Kingston had done similar for Hearts against Rangers in Scotland. His first half close range header gave the Edinburgh side a fifth win on the spin that helped cut the points difference between themselves and the Glasgow side to seven points.
It was Kingston's first game for Hearts after he was taken off injured against Hibernian in October and the perfect way to get back into the manager's good books after his unauthorised trip to Accra during the international break.
Over in England John Paintsil once again played his part as Fulham picked up only their third point on the road with a goalless draw against Aston Villa at Villa Park.
In France John Mensah looks to be back to full fitness after going though another 90 minutes for Olympique Lyon in their goalless draw against Valenciennes.
Current Black Stars outcast Moussa Narry also played the full game for Auxerre who were beaten 0-1 by a resurgent AS Monaco. But there was no action for Andrea Dede Ayew whose Lorient side drew 1-1 away against Lille.
In Holland, free scoring Matthew Amoah watched Sparta Rotterdam put four past NAC Breda but the Ghanaian was helpless to influence the game as he watched from home having been dropped from the traveling party because of injury.
It meant no top flight football for any of the Ghanaians in the top division of Holland. Eric Addo was an unused substitute in PSV Eindhovein's 2-2 draw at home to FC Groningen.
Francis Dickoh who started the season as a regular member of FC Utrecht seems to be finding his place on the bench gradually after he was left out of the starting eleven again as they draw 1-1 away to Ajax Amsterdam.
In Germany, Hans Sarpei played the entire second half as Bayer Leverkusen were beat 2-0 by a Frank Ribbery inspired Bayern Munich.
It may not have been a happy ending for Sarpei in terms of results but the fact that he got to play will please him after a long spell on the bench.
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