Americans Abroad: In-form Folarin Balogun continues scoring streak, Tim Weah and Marseille go top, but injuries temper mood

For some players and clubs, the international break can be the source of injuries or halted momentum. You can ask AC Milan how they feel about international soccer, if you want that point of view.

For others, though, it's a chance to build momentum. That's the camp that Folarin Balogun and Monaco will find themselves in.

After scoring for the USMNT against a very good Ecuador team during the international break, Balogun returned to Ligue 1 and found himself another, scoring in a 1-1 draw with Angers on Saturday. It was a fantastic finish, as he held off a defender after a perfect ball in from Takumi Minamino. Balogun, who entered the game as a substitute, buried it.

This could be big for Balogun. For several years now, he's been waiting to build some kind of momentum with Monaco, only to see it slowed by a variety of circumstances. Last season's injury derailed him. This campaign, then, is about putting that behind him. 

After scoring twice for the USMNT in as many international breaks, Balogun has an opporunity. With a new coach at Monaco and some newfound confidence, perhaps this will be Balogun's big breakout.

Ligue 1 is generally Paris Saint-Germain's playground, and the expectation was - and probably still is - that this season would be more of the same. They won the Champions League last season, after all, and the young squad that got them there is returning with even more experience to dominate.

Don't look now, though, but there's another team on top after eight weeks, and it features an American.

Following PSG's 3-3 draw with Strasbourg on Friday, Tim Weah and Marseille went top of the table on Saturday, and they did it in style, bashing 10-man Le Havre, 6-2, at home. Saturday was mostly the Mason Greenwood show, as the former Manchester United winger scored four of the six in the win.

Weah came off the bench in the 72nd minute, getting 16 touches of the ball as Marseille pushed for more. Weah, generally, has been a starter for Marseille, including big matches against Real Madrid and PSG in September. During the break, he started both matches for the USMNT, featuring as either a wingback - or a "fake wingback" depending on who you ask.

The question is, can Weah and Marseille keep hanging around the top of the table in defiance of PSG?

You won't see many games involving Chris Richards or Tyler Adams end in 3-3 draws. Saturday was just that chaotic, though, as Richards and Adams could only watch as their two clubs basically played a game of basketball against one another.

Adams and Bournemouth took a 2-0 lead in the first half behind Eli Junior Kroupi's brace, only to see Palace fight back in the second. Jean-Philippe Mateta scored a second-half hat-trick, including a 97th-minute equalizer, to cancel out what appeared to be an 89th-minute winner from Ryan Christie.

It was, by a large margin, the most chaotic game of the weekend, and both Americans played 90 minutes.

They won't feel it's a good 90, mind you. With both generally more focused on the defensive side of the ball, neither Richards nor Adams will be particularly thrilled with their side engaging in a back-and-forth shootout. Both, though, will be happy to get a point out of it.

At the very least, it was a fun one for those watching those two USMNT mainstays face off.

There were a few concerns, though. International breaks tend to be hard on the legs, and there was no difference here. The October window treated the U.S. pretty well: a win and a draw against two Would Cup-qualified sides. What will be an irritant to some club sides, though, is the fact that a few returned to their teams not fully fit. 

Pulisic has a hamstring issue. And now there are concerns for both Antonee Robinson and Malik Tillman. Robinson has dealt with bumps and bruises for nearly six months now, and missed the Cottagers' game with Arsenal due to a minor knock. 

Tillman has a thigh issue and could potentially miss several weeks. It's uncertain as to whether any of the three will be available for the USMNT's November friendlies.

+ Tanner Tessmann, who featured in both matches for the USMNT during the break, played 13 minutes but was unable to save Lyon in a 3-2 loss to Nice.

+ Sergino Dest played all 90 minutes while Ricardo Pepi came off the bench for the last 20 in PSV's 2-1 win over Go Ahead Eagles - encouraging signs, as both players had battled injuries.

+ Brenden Aaronson started and played 66 minutes for Leeds in a 2-0 loss to fellow promoted side Burnley.

+ Noahkai Banks played 85 minutes in Augsburg's back three as they settled for a 1-1 draw with Kristoffer Lund and FC Koln.

+ Patrick Agyemang came off the bench for the final 30 minutes of Derby County's 1-0 loss to Oxford United.

+ After featuring for the USMNT during the break, Aidan Morris came off the bench for Middlesbrough on Friday, playing 21 minutes in a 2-1 win over Ipswich Town.

+ It was an eventful day for Ethan Horvath, who was sent off with a straight red card in the final moments of Sheffield Wednesday's 2-1 loss to Charlton Athletic. Fellow American Charlie Kelman started and played 61 minutes for the victors.

+ Fresh off his two-goal outing with the U.S., Haji Wright played 62 minutes as Coventry City sealed a 2-0 win over Blackburn Rovers.

+ Josh Sargent was limited to a game-low 28 touches as Norwich fell 1-0 to Bristol City.

+ Caleb Wiley started and played 61 minutes in Watford's 1-0 loss to Sheffield United.

+ After conceding an early goal, keeper Jonathan Klinsmann and Cesena came from behind to earn a 2-1 win over Spezia.