By FRANCO PANIZO
Algerian midfielder Abdelkader Ghezzal is beginning to find his scoring touch just in time for the World Cup, and Bari was the latest victim to fall prey to his finishing.
Almost a month after hitting a brace in a shocking comeback draw against Juventus, Ghezzal scored two beautiful equalizers in Siena's 3-2 victory over Bari. Ghezzal first started a nice passing sequence before rifling a one-timed volley to the near post. He then added his second by delivering an impressive lob from 22 yards out. The two finishes gave Ghezzal six goals on the season.
Algerian midfielder Salim Arrache also found the back of the net, but his goal must have been bittersweet as PAS Giannina is doomed for relegation in Greece after its crushing 3-1 defeat to Ergotelis. Arrache's goal had pulled Giannina level, but the team would crumble by surrendering two second half goals.
Threatened by relegation in the Bundesliga, VfL Bochum lost 2-1 to Hamburg, and the club's goal came courtesy of Zlatko Dedic. The Slovenian forward unleashed a wicked left-footed volley in the first half, but his equalizer would be outdone by a late own goal.
Here is how the Algerians and Slovenians Abroad fared this weekend:
ALGERIA
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
- Defender Nadir Belhadj did not dress in Portsmouth's 2-0 extra-time win vs. Tottenham Hotspur in the semifinals of the FA Cup on Sunday.. He is recovering from a groin injury.
- Midfielder Hassan Yebda started and played 87 minutes in Portsmouth's 2-0 extra-time win vs. Tottenham Hotspur in the semifinals of the FA Cup on Sunday.
- Forward Kamel Ghilas did not dress in Hull City's 4-1 loss vs. Burnley on Saturday.
ENGLISH CHAMPIONSHIP
- Forward Hameur Bouazza did not dress in Blackpool's 4-1 loss vs. Newcastle United on Saturday.
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
- Defender Madjid Bougherra and Rangers did not play this weekend.
- Defender Ismael Bouzid dressed but did not play in Heart of Midlothian's 1-0 win vs. Kilmarnock on Saturday.
SPANISH LA LIGA
- Midfielder Mehdi Lacen dressed but did not play in Racing Santander's 1-1 draw vs. Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday.
ITALIAN SERIE A
- Midfielder Abdelkader Ghezzal started, played 90 minutes and scored two GOALS in Siena's 3-2 win vs. Bari on Sunday.
- Midfielder Mourad Meghni did not dress in Lazio's 3-2 win vs. Bologna on Sunday.
GERMAN BUNDESLIGA
- Defender Antar Yahia started and played 90 minutes in VfL Bochum's 2-1 loss vs. Hamburg SV on Sunday.
- Midfielder Karim Matmour started and played 88 minutes in Borussia Moenchengladbach's 2-0 win vs. Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday.
- Midfielder Karim Ziani did not dress in VfL Wolfsburg's 2-0 win vs. Nurnberg on Sunday.
- Forward Chadli Amri came off the bench and played 14 minutes in Mainz 05's 1-0 win vs. Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.
BUNDESLIGA 2
- Forward Noureddine Daham did not dress in TUS Koblenz's 1-1 draw vs. Alemania Aachen on Friday.
FRENCH LIGUE 1
- Midfielder Yazid Mansouri came off the bench and played 6 minutes in Lorient's 1-1 draw vs. Stade Rennes on Saturday.
PORTUGUESE LIGA SAGRES
- Defender Rafik Halliche dressed but did not play in CD Nacional de Madeira's 0-0 draw vs. Naval 1 Maio on Friday.
GREEK SUPER LEAGUE
- Forward Rafik Djebbour started, played 89 minutes and received a yellow card in AEK Athens' 0-0 draw vs. Levadiakos on Sunday.
- Midfielder Salim Arrache started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL in PAS Giannina's 3-1 loss vs. Ergotelis on Sunday.
SLOVENIA
ENGLISH CHAMPIONSHIP
- Defender Suad Filekovic did not dress in Barnsley's 0-0 draw vs. Derby County on Saturday.
- Midfielder Robert Koren started and played 90 minutes in West Bromwich Albion's 3-2 win vs. Doncaster Rovers on Saturday.
ITALIAN SERIE A
- Goalkeeper Samir Handanovic started, played 90 minutes and made four saves in Udinese's 2-0 win vs. Livorno on Sunday.
- Defender Bojan Jokic came off the bench and played 25 minutes in Chievo Verona's 3-1 loss vs. Palermo on Sunday.
GERMAN BUNDESLIGA
- Forward Milivoje Novakovic started, played 89 minutes and received a yellow card in FC Cologne's 2-0 win vs. TSG Hoffenheim on Saturday.
- Defender Miso Brecko started and played 90 minutes in FC Cologne's 2-0 win vs. TSG Hoffenheim on Saturday.
- Forward Zlatko Dedic started, played 90 minutes and scored a GOAL in VfL Bochum's 2-1 loss vs. Hamburg SV on Sunday.
BUNDESLIGA 2
- Defender Matej Mavric started and played 90 minutes in TUS Koblenz's 1-1 draw vs. Alemania Aachen on Friday.
- Midfielder Goran Sukalo did not dress in FC Augsburg's 3-0 loss vs. St Pauli on Monday.
FRENCH LIGUE 1
- Defender Bostjan Cesar did not dress in Grenoble's 4-0 loss vs. Toulouse on Saturday.
- Forward Valter Birsa started and played 71 minutes in AJ Auxerre's 1-0 win vs. AS Nancy Lorraine on Sunday.
DUTCH EREDIVISIE
- Midfielder Dalibor Stevanovic did not dress in Vitesse Arnhem's 4-1 loss vs. RKC Waalwijk on Friday.
PORTUGUESE LIGA SAGRES
- Midfielder Nejc Pecknik started and played 90 minutes in CD Nacional de Madeira's 0-0 draw vs. Naval 1 Maio on Friday.
GREEK SUPER LEAGUE
- Midfielder Aleksander Radosavljevic dressed but did not play in Larissa's 3-0 win vs. Panionios on Sunday.
- Midfielder Mirnes Sisic started and played 90 minutes in PAS Giannina's 3-1 loss vs. Ergotelis on Sunday.
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What do you think of these performances? Any player(s) you're particularly worried about? Does Ghezzal's brace concern you? Surprised Arrache and Giannina couldn't pull out a win? Impressed by Dedic's goal?
Share your thoughts below.