New talents shine on

Downing in form
For the third time in four games, Stuart Downing struck the only goal for Middlesbrough as they drew 1-1 with Portsmouth FC. Diomansy Kamara had given the visitors a fifth-minute lead, but the 20-year-old levelled 16 minutes from time, having already scored the winner at Egaleo on Matchday 1 and Middlesbrough's goal in a 1-1 draw at Manchester United FC at the start of October. Middlesbrough, down to eighth in the Premiership, also had confirmation that right-back Stuart Parnaby broke his leg prior to the game in Greece and is out until January. He joins Malcolm Christie and Michael Reiziger on the casualty list.

Font landmark
Villarreal, denied victory late in the Matchday 1 draw at S.S. Lazio, hit form against CD Numancia as they won 4-0 and moved up to 12th place. Héctor Font registered his first two Primera División goals, and Juan Román Riquelme and Diego Forlán were also on target, as Villarreal responded well to the departure of Sonny Anderson to Qatar and Marcos Senna's positive drug test. On the injury front Rodolfo Arruabarrena continues to recover from a knee problem and Antonio Guayre is overcoming a groin strain. Roger García has a knee complaint but it is not considered serious, and Xisco is also back in training after a pulled thigh muscle.

Lazio defeated
Lazio fell to a 3-1 defeat at Parma FC on 24 October - the home side's first win of the Italian season. Marco Marchionni and Mark Bresciano gave Parma an early advantage before Tommaso Rocchi pulled a goal back, and Alberto Gilardino completed the scoring after the break. Lazio were without long-term injured Angelo Peruzzi, Emanuele Filippini and César, while Simone Inzaghi and Fabio Liverani missed the game with minor injuries as their side dropped to 13th spot in Serie A.

Partizan stroll on
Partizan, who begin their UEFA Cup campaign on Matchday 2 at home to Egaleo, continue to lead the way in Serbia and Montenegro after winning 2-0 at city rivals OFK Beograd. Nenad Brnovic and Srdan Radonjic were the scorers as unbeaten Partizan maintained their four-point advantage. With midfielder Dragan Ciric returning from a lay-off to play, defender Dragoljub Jeremic is the only man left on the Partizan sidelines.

Egaleo unbeaten
Egaleo missed several goalscoring opportunities as they were held 0-0 at home by Apollon Kalamarias FC, three days after the loss to Middlesbrough. Nevertheless, Stéphane Demol's team remain – along with AEK Athens FC – the only unbeaten outfit in Greece's top flight. Although Günter Friesenbichler returned to action, he is not fully recovered from injury. By contrast, fellow forward Anastasios Agritis is back in form and played for 45 minutes without any problem.