By Akyereko Frimpong-Manson
ENGLAND
Michael Essien played his second competitive game after recovering from his six month injury lay-off by coming on as a 79th minute substitute for Raul Meireles in Chelsea's 0-0 draw with Norwich City.
Wolverhampton Wanderers dropped into the relegation zone after going down 3-2 to Aston Villa on home grounds.
Emmanuel Frimpong who is on loan at Wolves from Arsenal till the end of the season played 58 minutes for Mick McCarthy's side.
In the Npower Championship, Albert Adomah's Bristol City got back to winning ways after defeating Doncaster Rovers 2-1 at the Ashton Gate Stadium.
Adomah who failed to make Ghana's Nations Cup squad lasted 90 minutes for City.
Watford's woes rolled on on Saturday as they lost their third game on a row succumbing to a 3-0 loss at Birmingham City.
Former Dundee United box-to-box midfielder Prince Abankwah Buaben played 71 minutes for Watford.
Leeds United dropped to 8th place despite managing a 3-2 win over Ipswich Town at the Elland Road Stadium.
Speedster Lloyd Sam was left out of the Leeds squad by Simon Grayson, the Leeds manager.
Elsewhere in the League One, David Amoo lasted 25 minutes for Bury who emerged 3-2 victors over Yeovil Town.
In the League Two, Birmingham City loanee Akwasi Asante lasted just 11 minutes for Northampton who suffered a 2-1 shipwreck at home to Barnet.
ITALY
Maxwell Boadu Acosty earned his Serie A debut by coming off the bench to play 26 minutes for Fiorentina who drew goalless at Cagliari.
Youngster Amidu Salifu also played 57 minutes for Fiorentian.
Kevin-Prince Boateng's injury ruled him out of AC Milan's 3-0 win over bottom-placed Novara.
There was no Afriyie Acquah in the Palermo team that swept Genoa aside with a 5-3 win.
In the Serie B, Yaw Asante failed to make the first team grade at Grosseto who pipped Albinoleffe 1-0.
Sassuolo took charge at the top of the Serie B log after humbling Vicenza 4-2.
Young midfielder Isaac Cofie played 30 minutes while striker Richmond Boakye-Yiadom sat on the Sassuolo bench.
In the Primavera League, Parma suffered a 3-2 loss at Genoa.
Godfred Adolf came off with 30 minutes left while defender Bright Addae played 90 minutes.
Joseph Alfred Duncan converted a first half penalty for Inter Milan but they lost 3-1 against Atalanta in Bergamo.
Nii Nortey Ashong and Daniel Kofi Agyei both played for Fiorentina who thrashed Empoli 3-1.
In the Juniores Berretti League, Isaac Donkor lasted full time for Inter Milan who also suffered a 1-0 loss at Albinoleffe.
Samuel Darko Appiah also played the full 90 minutes for Inter Milan in their 3-0 win over Varesse.
HOLLAND
Stanley Aborah Junior played full time for Vitesse Arnhem as they lost 1-0 to NEC.
Kwame Quansah's Heracles Almelo slipped to a 2-1 loss at Groningen. He played full time.
Nana Akwasi Asare returned to captain FC Utrecht who were held to a 2-2 drawn game by PSV Eindhoven.
In the Second-tier league, former Ghana U17 star striker Kelvin Bossman played the last five minutes for Helmond Sport who drew 2-2 with MVV.
There was no Gideon Boateng in the MVV team.
Former Black Stars defender Eric Addo played full time for FC Eindhoven who secured a point at Willem II to stay in second place.
Kevin Tano warmed the bench for Dordrecht who lost 2-0 at Sparta Rotterdam.
GERMANY
In the Liga 3, Jeff Gyasi played full time for Rot-WeiB Oberhausen in their two-all draw with Preussen Munster.
Phil Ofosu-Aryeh played 85 minutes for Rot-WeiB Erfurt who grabbed a vital point at Werder Bremen II.
Aalen condemned Arminia Bielefeld to a 3-1 defeat on home grounds.
Eric Agyemang played 67 minutes for Bielefeld but Marcel Appiah warmed the bench.
FRANCE
Bernard Kumordzi played 57 minutes to help Dijon book a 2-1 win over Istres in the Coupe de France.
FRIENDLY
FC Hacken humbled relegated Norwegian side IK Start 2-1 in an international friendly on Sunday.
Abdul Majeed Waris opened the scoring for Hacken before Ernest Asante scored his third goal in three games for Start.
Ishmael Yartey scored a double for FC Servette as they drew 3-3 with Portuguese side Beira Mar.
TURKEY
Jerry Akaminko was a pillar in defence for Manisaspor but they lost 3-2 to Istanbul.
In the Turkish second division, bottom-placed Güngörenspor managed to squeeze a point out of Akhisar Belediyespor after drawing 0-0.
Obed Owusu Ampong and Benjamin Boateng both played for Güngörenspor.
AC Milan striker Dominic Adiyiah failed to make the 18-man squad for Karsiyaka who won 1-0 at Adanaspor.
EGYPT
Striker Kwaben Yaro scored a brace for El Entag El Harby who lost 3-2 Wadi Degla on Friday.
Former Lierse defender William Mensah featured full time for Wadi Degla.
GREECE
Quincy Owusu-Abeyie's sublime 73rd minute striker helped Panathinaikos to a 1-0 win over Atromitos.
Panaitoliskos and Kerkyra battled to a 1-1 draw at the Stadio Panetolikou. Both David Addy and Abdul Osman featured for their clubs.
Francis Dickoh was at the rare or Aris who rounded up Doxa Dramas 3-1.
BELGIUM
Abdul Yakeen Iddi came off the bench to play 16 minutes for KV Mechelen who run away with a 1-0 win over Club Brugge.
CYPRUS
AEL beat Alki 2-1 at their own backyard with defensive midfielder Carlos Ohene playing even minutes for Alki.
Former Charlton Athletic striker Chris Dickson failed to score despite playing 90 minutes of Nea Salamis 5-2 win over Anagennisi.
ISRAEL
Daniel Addo was a member of the Hapoel Petah Pitva defence that conceded three goals at Hapoel Acre.
Former Hearts of Oak striker Eric Gawu played 13 minutes for Bnei Sakhnin who won 3-1 over Maccabi Petak Tikva.
Samuel Yeboah was introduced on the 59th minute for Ashdod who lost at Beitar Jerusalem.
PORTUGAL
Christian Atsu Twasam lasted the entire match Rio Ave who lost 2-1 at Braga.