By FRANCO PANIZO
If U.S. national team fans were unconcerned about the firepower that Slovenia and Algeria possess, they likely changed their tunes after the goals scored this weekend.
There was a combined four goals netted and Algerian midfielder Abdelkader Ghezzal accounted for two of them in Siena's shocking comeback draw against Juventus. The Italian heavyweights took a 3-0 lead just ten minutes into the game, but last-place Siena rallied and was able to pull out a draw, with Ghezzal's brace providing the final two goals in the 3-3 draw.
Algerian defender Nadir Belhadj also found the back of the net, scoring his third goal of the season in Portsmouth's 4-1 loss to Liverpool. The left back gave Portsmouth a consolation goal as he cooly finished from close range. The finish gave Belhadj a goal in each of Pompey's games against Liverpool this season.
Slovenia had a player net this weekend, too. Just four days after hitting the game-winner in a 1-0 affair against Sheffield Wednesday, midfielder Robert Koren scored West Bromwich Albion's second goal in its 3-2 victory over Blackpool by unleashing a powerful left-footed shot that soared into the top left corner. The win leaves West Bromwich Albion with a good chance of gaining automatic promotion into the Premier League, as the club currently sits in second place in the Championship.
Here is how the Algerians and Slovenians Abroad performed this weekend:
ALGERIA
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
- Defender Nadir Belhadj started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL in Portsmouth's 4-1 loss vs. Liverpool on Monday.
- Midfielder Hassan Yebda did not dress in Portsmouth's 4-1 loss vs. Liverpool on Monday. He is recovering from a knee injury.
- Forward Kamel Ghilas did not dress in Hull City's 2-1 loss vs. Arsenal on Saturday.
ENGLISH CHAMPIONSHIP
- Forward Hameur Bouazza did not dress in Blackpool's 3-2 loss vs. West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
- Defender Madjid Bougherra did not dress in Rangers' 3-3 draw vs. Dundee United in the sixth round of the Scottish Cup on Sunday. He is recovering from a hamstring injury.
- Defender Ismael Bouzid did not dress in Heart of Midlothian's 3-1 loss vs. Motherwell on Saturday.
SPANISH LA LIGA
- Midfielder Mehdi Lacen came off the bench and played 5 minutes in Racing Santander's 0-0 draw vs. Real Zaragoza on Sunday.
ITALIAN SERIE A
- Midfielder Abdelkader Ghezzal started, played 90 minutes and scored two GOALS in Siena's 3-3 draw vs. Juventus on Sunday.
- Midfielder Mourad Meghni did not dress in Lazio's 2-0 loss vs. Bari on Sunday.
GERMAN BUNDESLIGA
- Defender Antar Yahia started and played 90 minutes in VfL Bochum's 4-1 loss vs. Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.
- Midfielder Karim Matmour did not dress in Borussia Moenchengladbach's 4-0 loss vs. VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday.
- Midfielder Karim Ziani did not dress in VfL Wolfsburg's 4-0 win vs. Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday.
- Forward Chadli Amri came off the bench and played 35 minutes in Mainz's 1-0 win vs. FC Cologne on Saturday.
BUNDESLIGA 2
- Forward Noureddine Daham did not dress in TUS Koblenz's 2-0 win vs. Ahlen on Friday.
FRENCH LIGUE 1
- Midfielder Yazid Mansouri came o
ff the bench and played 7 minutes in Lorient's 1-0 win vs. Lens on Saturday.
PORTUGUESE LIGA SAGRES
- Defender Rafik Halliche started and played 90 minutes in CD Nacional Madeira's 1-0 loss vs. Benfica on Sunday.
GREEK SUPER LEAGUE
- Forward Rafik Djebbour started, played 84 minutes and received a yellow card in AEK Athens' 3-0 win vs. Kavala on Saturday.
- Midfielder Salim Arrache did not dress in PAS Giannina's 2-2 draw vs. Olympiakos on Saturday.
SLOVENIA
ENGLISH CHAMPIONSHIP
- Defender Suad Filekovic did not dress in Barnsley's 0-0 draw vs. Crystal Palace on Saturday.
- Midfielder Robert Koren started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL in West Bromwich Albion's 3-2 win vs. Blackpool on Saturday. (The goal can be seen here.)
ITALIAN SERIE A
- Goalkeeper Samir Handanovic started, played 90 minutes and made two saves in Udinese's 3-2 win vs. Palermo on Sunday.
- Defender Bojan Jokic dressed but did not play in Chievo Verona's 1-0 loss vs. AC Milan on Sunday.
GERMAN BUNDESLIGA
- Forward Milivoje Novakovic started and played 90 minutes in FC Cologne's 1-0 loss vs. Mainz on Saturday.
- Defender Miso Brecko started and played 67 minutes in FC Cologne's 1-0 loss vs. Mainz on Saturday.
- Forward Zlatko Dedic dresed but did not play in VfL Bochum's 4-1 loss vs. Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.
BUNDESLIGA 2
- Defender Matej Mavric started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in TUS Koblenz's 2-0 win vs. Ahlen on Friday.
- Midfielder Goran Sukalo did not dress in FC Augsburg's 1-0 loss vs. Karlsruhe on Saturday.
FRENCH LIGUE 1
- Defender Bostjan Cesar started and played 90 minutes in Grenoble's 1-0 loss vs. Lille on Sunday.
- Forward Valter Birsa started and played 79 minutes in AJ Auxerre's 1-1 draw vs. Montpellier on Saturday.
DUTCH EREDIVISIE
- Midfielder Dalibor Stevanovic dressed but did not play in Vitesse Arnhem's 1-0 loss vs. Heerenveen on Sunday.
PORTUGUESE LIGA SAGRES
- Midfielder Nejc Pecknik came off the bench and played 22 minutes in CD Nacional de Madeira's 1-0 loss vs. Benfica on Sunday.
GREEK SUPER LEAGUE
- Midfielder Aleksander Radosavljevic dressed but did not play in Larissa's 1-0 win vs. Ergotelis on Sunday.
- Midfielder Mirnes Sisic started and played 90 minutes in PAS Giannina's 2-2 draw vs. Olympiakos on Saturday.
——————–
What do you think of these performances? Any player(s) you're particularly worried about? Impressed by Belhadj's goal? Does Ghezzal's brace worry you? Do you see Koren and West Bromwich Albion getting back into the Premier League?
Share your thoughts below.