By FRANCO PANIZO
Slovenia saw more of its players get in on their club teams' action this weekend, but it was the Algerian players who enjoyed the majority of the success.
Two Algerians found the back of the net, and both goals were game-winners. Rafik Djebbour hit the lone tally, a splendid turn and volley, in AEK Athens' 1-0 victory over Ergotelis, and Hassan Yebda scored from the spot in Portsmouth's 2-1 victory vs. Burnley, the club's first win in its last nine matches.
The Algerians' positive outings weren't just limited to the offense, either. Centerback Madjid Bougherra helped Rangers pitch a shutout in a 1-0 victory against Celtic in the Old Firm derby. Bougherra will likely be filled with confidence when Algeria plays Serbia in a friendly on Wednesday, as the win put Rangers ten points clear of Celtic atop the league standings.
Slovenia wasn't as successful, as it had its fair share of disappointing performances in the final weekend before its friendly against Qatar. But perhaps no showing was worse than defensive midfielder Aleksander Radosavljevic's in Larissa's 2-0 defeat to Aris Salonika. Radosavljevic started but only lasted 15 minutes after being ejected from the game for receiving two yellow cards.
Here is how the Algerians and Slovenians Abroad did this weekend:
ALGERIA
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
- Defender Nadir Belhadj started and played 90 minutes in Portsmouth's 2-1 win vs. Burnley on Saturday.
- Midfielder Hassan Yebda started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL in Portsmouth's 2-1 win vs. Burnley on Saturday.
- Forward Kamel Ghilas and Hull City did not play this weekend.
ENGLISH CHAMPIONSHIP
- Forward Hameur Bouazza came off the bench and played 27 minutes in Blackpool's 1-0 loss vs. Barnsley on Saturday.
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
- Defender Madjid Bougherra started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Rangers' 1-0 win vs. Celtic on Sunday.
- Defender Ismael Bouzid did not dress in Heart of Midlothian's 1-0 win vs. Aberdeen on Saturday.
SPANISH LA LIGA
- Midfielder Mehdi Lacen started and played 90 minutes in Racing Santander's 2-0 loss vs. Almeria on Saturday.
ITALIAN SERIE A
- Midfielder Abdelkader Ghezzal started and played 90 minutes in Siena's 2-1 win vs. Livorno on Sunday.
- Midfielder Mourad Meghni did not dress in Lazio's 1-1 draw vs. Fiorentina on Saturday.
GERMAN BUNDESLIGA
- Defender Antar Yahia dressed but did not play in VfL Bochum's 0-0 draw vs. Nurnberg on Saturday.
- Midfielder Karim Matmour came off the bench, played 25 minutes and received a yellow card in Borussia Moenchengladbach's 1-1 draw vs. SC Freiburg on Saturday.
- Midfielder Karim Ziani dressed but did not play in VfL Wolfsburg's 1-0 win vs. Hannover 96 on Sunday.
- Forward Chadli Amri did not dress in Mainz's 2-1 loss vs. Werder Bremen on Saturday.
BUNDESLIGA 2
- Forward Noureddine Daham did not dress in TUS Koblenz's 1-0 loss vs. FC Augsburg on Saturday.
FRENCH LIGUE 1
- Midfielder Yazid Mansouri did not dress in Lorient's 1-0 win vs. Sochaux on Saturday.
PORTUGUESE LIGA SAGRES
- Defender Rafik Halliche and CD Nacional Madeira's match vs. Belenenses on Monday was postponed.
GREEK SUPER LEAGUE
- Forward Rafik Djebbour started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL in AEK Athens' 1-0 win vs. Ergotelis on Saturday.
- Midfielder Salim Arrache did not dress in PAS Giannina's 4-1 loss vs. Levadiakos on Sunday.
SLOVENIA
ENGLISH CHAMPIONSHIP
- Defender Suad Filekovic did not dress in Barnsley's 1-0 win vs. Blackpool on Saturday.
- Midfielder Robert Koren started and played 59 minutes in West Bromwich Albion's 3-1 win vs. Derby County on Saturday.
ITALIAN SERIE A
- Goalkeeper Samir Handanovic started, played 90 minutes and made two saves in Udinese's 3-2 loss vs. Inter Milan on Sunday.
- Defender Bojan Jokic came off the bench and played 1 minute in Chievo Verona's 2-1 win vs. Cagliari on Sunday.
GERMAN BUNDESLIGA
- Forward Milivoje Novakovic started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in FC Cologne's 0-0 draw vs. Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.
- Defender Miso Brecko started and played 90 minutes in FC Cologne's 0-0 draw vs. Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.
- Forward Zlatko Dedic started and played 90 minutes in VfL Bochum's 0-0 draw vs. Nurnberg on Saturday.
BUNDESLIGA 2
- Defender Matej Mavric started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in TUS Koblenz's 1-0 loss vs. FC Augsburg on Saturday.
- Midfielder Goran Sukalo did not dress in FC Augsburg's 1-0 win vs. TUS Koblenz on Saturday.
FRENCH LIGUE 1
- Defender Bostjan Cesar started, played 90 minutes and received a yellow card in Grenoble's 2-0 win vs. AS Nancy Lorraine on Saturday.
- Forward Valter Birsa came off the bench and played 37 minutes in AJ Auxerre's 2-1 win vs. Lille on Sunday.
DUTCH EREDIVISIE
- Midfielder Dalibor Stevanovic started, played 61 minutes and received a yellow card in Vitesse Arnhem's 3-0 loss vs. AZ Alkmaar on Saturday.
PORTUGUESE LIGA SAGRES
- Midfielder Nejc Pecknik and CD Nacional de Madeira's match vs. Belenenses on Monday was postponed.
GREEK SUPER LEAGUE
- Midfielder Aleksander Radosavljevic started, played 15 minutes and received two yellow cards in Larissa's 2-0 loss vs. Aris Salonika on Sunday.
- Midfielder Mirnes Sisic started, played 63 minutes and received a yellow card in PAS Giannina's 4-1 loss vs. Levadiakos on Sunday.
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What do you think of these performances? Any player(s) you're particularly worried about? Starting to think Djebbour is someone the U.S. backline will have to be wary about? Impressed by Yebda and Bougherra's performances? Hoping Radosavljevic starts against the U.S. this summer?
Share your thoughts below.