Two of Ghana’s absentee players at the African Cup of Nations returned to competitive action for their European clubs over the weekend.

Michael Essien made a return to the pitch for Chelsea in their 2-0 win over Liverpool.

Essien played the entire 90minutes as he completed his one-month recovery.

The 23-year old suffered damage to his ankle ligament in a league game with West Ham.

Ghanaian international Sulley Muntari’s return to action for Udinese from injury ended in disaster.

He received an early sending off in their 1-0 defeat to Juventus yesterday.

Muntari missed out of the Black Stars’ squad for the African of Nations after picking up an ankle injury in training in the run-up to the Nations cup tournament.

But Muntari was given a rude shock on his return to the Serie when he was sent off in the 37th minute after picking up a first yellow card just some two minutes before his dismissal.

Another player who was fit but didn’t make the final Nations Cup squad is Isaac Boakye.

The striker continues to impress for his club Arminia Bielefeld.

Boakye was on hand to put Bielefeld ahead in their game against Hamburg on Saturday.

The goal was his second in two games.

But Hamburg raced back to wrap up the game 2-1.

Still in the Bundesliga, Otto Addo played the entire game for FSV Mainz in their 4-2 loss.

Uncapped Ghanaian striker, Kevin-Prince Boateng’s 21st minute strike for Hertha Berlin was cancelled out in the second half as Eintracht Frankfurt managed to draw one-all.

Hans Adu Sarpei was on the bench for Wolfsburg in their game against Monchengladbach.