Black Stars abroad: Boakye, Williams, Donkor lead Ghanaian stars on target

**Ghanaian players made their mark across Europe and the United States over the weekend, with Augustine Boakye, Iñaki Williams, Ronald Donkor and Kelvin Boateng among the standout performers. **

3Sports highlights the best performing Black Stars players over the weekend...

Boakye continued his impressive start to the season in France, scoring again for Saint-Étienne despite their 2-1 defeat away to Dunkerque in Ligue 2.

The forward has now scored in three consecutive league matches, underlining his growing influence for Saint-Étienne. He had previously found the net against Dijon and Montpellier, taking his league tally to three goals for the season.

In Spain, Iñaki Williams marked his return to club action with a goal as Athletic Bilbao were held to a 1-1 draw by Elche at San Mamés.

Williams struck late to rescue a point for Athletic, just days after announcing his retirement from international football with Ghana. The 32-year-old had confirmed his decision on Friday, bringing an end to his four-year Black Stars career.

The goal provided an immediate response from the Athletic captain, who had been assessed positively by coach Edin Terzić before the Elche fixture. Terzić had highlighted Williams' versatility and recent form ahead of the game.

In Major League Soccer, Ronald Donkor delivered a dramatic late winner for New York Red Bulls, scoring in the 89th minute to secure a 1-0 victory over Columbus Crew.

Donkor's strike ended the Red Bulls' six-match winless run and gave them a crucial three points on the road. It was his second MLS goal of the season.

Austria also provided another Ghanaian success story, with Kelvin Boateng coming off the bench to score a spectacular late goal as Austria Vienna completed a 2-1 comeback win over Austria Lustenau.

Boateng's acrobatic volley in stoppage time completed the turnaround and secured Austria Vienna's first home league victory of the season.

Elsewhere, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku played a key role in Ipswich Town's 3-2 victory over Crystal Palace, while Antoine Semenyo was also involved in Manchester City's derby victory over Manchester United.

Jordan Ayew made his Sheffield United debut as a second-half substitute in their 1-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers, beginning a new chapter following his move to the Championship side.

Meanwhile, Black Stars coach has reportedly submitted his initial squad for the September Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers. The squad is set to be reviewed by both the Management Committee and Executive Council before official announcement.

Some of these players could make the list for the games against Ivory Coast and The Gambia.