Africans In Spain: Seydou Keita Bags Barcelona Hat-Trick

Seydou Keita produced the best individual display of the weekend in Spanish football as Barcelona strode to a scintillating 6-1 smashing of Real Zaragoza at Camp Nou. The Mali midfielder opened the scoring midway through the half when he headed home from a Lionel Messi cross and added a second before the break when he latched onto Zlatan Ibrahimovic's low cross to tap into an empty net.

After a brace from Ibra and a sublime Lionel Messi effort, Keita bagged his hat-trick with another header, this time from a corner with just four minutes remaining. The win leaves Barca three points clear at the top of the Primera Liga. Cameroonian Frank Songo'o was a second half substitute for the visitors in this game.

Keita's international team-mate Mahamadou Diarra played the full 90 minutes for Real Madrid away to Sporting Gijon but his side couldn't fashion an opening in the goalless draw.

Cameroon international goalkeeper Carlos Kameni produced a man-of-the-match display in goal for Espanyol as they held third placed Sevilla to a 0-0 draw, despite finishing with just ten men at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium in Andalucia. Ivorian Didier Zokora was a strong midfield presence for the hosts once again, while his international team-mate Arouna Kone came on as a substitute for Diego Perotti with twenty minutes remaining but couldn't help his side to a win. Mali striker Frederic Kanoute was an unused substitute for Los Nervionenses in that game.

Cameroon international midfielder Modeste M'Bami was replaced by Nigerian striker Kalu Uche after an hour of Almeria's defeat to home defeat to Valencia. Neither player managed to influence the game as Los Che dominated and took all three points to go fourth in the league.

Derek Boateng of Ghana played the full 90 minutes for Getafe as they secured a 2-0 victory over Atheltic Bilbao at the Alfonso Perez Coliseum in Madrid.

Cameroon midfielder Daniel Kome played his part as Tenerfie managed their third home win of the season with a 1-0 win over Xerez and fellow Cameroonian Pierre Webo played for Mallorca as they managed a last gasp equaliser to prevent Atletico Madrid winning their first game after the dismissal of coach Abel Resino.

Paul Madden, Goal.com