In England, Yaya Toure and Alex Iwobi came on as second-half substitutes in Arsenal and Manchester City 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium.
On Saturday, Sadio Mane scored his 13th goal of the season in the Merseyside derby, a game that wrapped up with Liverpool picking the spoils against Idris Gana Geuye’s Everton. Arouna Kone, the other African in the derby, watched proceedings from the bench having returned from a lengthy lay-off.
At the Turf Moore, it was a blow for Tottenham Hotspurs who is likely to be without Victor Wanyama in the next games after the Kenyan picked up an injury and was hauled off in the win over Burnley in the 44th minute.
Leaders Chelsea was brought down to earth in a 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace 2-1 with Ivory Coast’s Wilfried Zaha scoring The Eagles’ first goal.
At the KCMO Stadium, it was a sigh of relief for Hull City after gliding past West Ham United.
Kouyateh of Senegal, Ghana’s Andre Ayew and Feghouli of Algeria all featured for the Hammers.
Onyinye Wilfred Ndidi netted his first of the season in what was his ninth start for Leicester City in the triumph over Stoke City.
Isaac Success and Watford were on the winning end with Britos stabbing in the game’s sole goal against bottom-placed Lamine Kone’s Sunderland.
Aston Villa risks losing star striker and Ivory Coast’s Jonathan Kodjia at end of the season who has been phenomenal all through this campaign. The 27-year-old scored both goals in Aston Villa’s win over Norwich City. The twin goals marked Kodjia’s 17th goal of the ongoing term in the English second tier. Kodjia seeking new pastures, likely in the EPL, is no longer a question of if but rather when, amid a plethora of interest, according to reports.
DR Congo’s Britt Assembalonga poked in his tenth of the season in the form of an opener for club side Nottingham Forest but Preston United would equalize through Mc Geady’s second-half strike.
Germany
Cameroon-born Marvin Matip, inadvertently turned the ball into his own net to gift Mainz a goal but his club Ingolstadt would eventually win 2-1.
Earlier on Saturday, Salomon Kalou was on for Hertha BSC before he got subbed out after 65 minutes in the 3-1 defeat to Hoffenheim.
League top scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubamayeng, is banging in goals for fun. It’s been 24 goals in 24 games for the Gabonese striker. He was on target for Dortmund racing them into an early lead but Borussia let the lead slip after Schalke evened matters 13 minutes from full time.
Senegal’s Lamin Sane played no part in Werder Bremen’s 5-2 win over Freiburg. The defender was reserved on the bench without playing minutes in the seven-goal-thriller.
African Star man of the week in the Bundesliga goes to Guinea’s Naby Deco Keita who bagged a brace in second-placed RB Leipzig’s 4-0 spanking of Darmstadt.
Italy
Ivory Coast’s Frank Yannick Kessie was a regular but got cautioned in Atlanta’s 5-0 battering of Genoa on Sunday.
El Hadji Babacar Khouma rescued Fiorentina with his lone goal against Bologna.
Mohamed Salah didn’t find the back of the net but featured for the entirety of allocated time as Roma walked over Empoli with Dzeko scoring twice on Saturday.
Senegal’s Balde Diao Keita joined the fray as teammate Luke’s replacement, in Lazio’s 2-1 win over Sassoulo.
There was no African scorer in the Italian second tier apart from Ghana’s Moses Odjer getting booked by the referee in the 38th minute.
Belgium
Winger Oses Daddy Simon single-handedly applied the brakes to club side Brugge’s run on Sunday. The 21-year-old Nigerian opened the score after being fed by compatriot Kalu before poking in a second via the spot-kick.
It was an all Senegalese battle when M’Baye Leye and Anderlecht’s Kara Mbodji met in the play-offs of the Belgium First Division A. But it was the latter who triumphed courtesy of goals from Alexandru Chipcu and Tielemans.
At the Pay de Charleroi, Zimbabwe’s Knowledge Musona registered his tenth goal of the season by netting KV Oostende’s opening goal before Angola’s Clinton Mata pulled a goal to make it level for Sporting Charleroi.
Uncapped Cameroon-born Serge Tabekou, salvaged a draw for OH Leuven after Tubize had led in the first-half.
Salomon Nirisarike of Rwanda partnered with Guinea Mamadou Diallo with each scoring a goal to grab a point for Tubiz.
Spain
Espanyol gaffer Quinque Sanchez, opted to overlook Senegalese stopper Papa Kouly Diop, choosing to name him on the bench but without minutes in the victory over Real Betis.
Cederic Bakambu of DR Congo starred for Villareal in a 3-2 loss to Eibar.
Black Star international Thomas Teye Partey, made his third start for Atletico Madrid but didn’t last more than 53 minutes before gaffer Simione ordered for his replacement.
Zouhair Feddal of Morocco and Deportivo Alves stood no chance against Bale, Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo as Real Madrid eased to a 3-0 win.
France
Monaco-St Etienne’s game was put off but action resumed at the Roazhon Park, as Firmin Ndombe turned on the act for Rennes. The DR Congo youngster prevented Lyon from leaving with all points with his brilliant last-gasp equalizing goal.
Cameroon’s Moukandjo made the difference as the 28-year-old plundered in the game’s only goal consequently securing the spoils for struggling Lorient. Teammate Abdul Majeed War was also in action for the winning outfit against Caen.
A different scenario unfolded at the Stade de La Beaujoire with Burkina Faso’s Prejuce Niguimbe the man of the moment. The 29-year-old shipped in two goals for Nantes. Senegal’s Famara Diehiou would score for Angers SCO but it was too late too little for a dramatic comeback.
20-year-old uncapped Senegalese-born Mamadou Thiam was the hero of the night for Clermont, grabbing the match winner that downed Amiens SC in the Ligue 2.
Algeria’s Mohamed Said Benrahma pulled off a brace however, his efforts proved vain following Bourg en Bresse FC’s jaw-dropping comeback to score three goals.
Cameroon’s Dona N’doh secured the sole goal for Niort, in another league Two fixture.
Mali’s Fanta Mady-Diarra and Gabon’s Dennis Bouanga each raked up a goal for Tours. Guinea’s Sekou Keita managed to find the back of the net but it couldn’t have been more than a consolation.
Bamako-born Adama Niane is on a terrific run, banging in his 20th goal of the campaign in Troyes’ comprehensive 4-2 victory over Orleans.
Featured photo: Getty Images
