We begin in England where several African players were in action for their respective clubs. Matchday 11 EPL
On Sunday, El-Hadji Niasse of Senegal scored a vital goal in Everton’s win at home to Watford. They came from two goals down to overturn the scores to 3-2 at Goodison Park. Niasse’s lone goal in the 64th minute reduced the goal deficit to one before the mercy side club collected all three points by scoring in the 74th and 90+1 minutes.
West Ham United was defeated 4-1 at home by Liverpool thanks to Egypt’s Mohammed Salah and Senegal’s Sadio Mane for a remarkable showcase of talents. Salah had a brace, and Mane was electrifying on his return from injuries. The 25-year-old Egyptian who has now scored seven league goals got the opener in the 21st minute and later scored the final goal in the 75th minute with Mane providing the assist for both goals.
Also in the Barclays Premier League, African reigning footballer of the year, Riyad Mahrez whose name was left out of the recently released shortlist of best African player’s nominees, scored a lone goal for last year’s EPL champions, Leicester City in the 60th minutes; assisted by Nigeria’s Wilfred Ndidi in their 2-2 draw against Stock City.
After scoring a crucial equalizer in his last game, Ivory Coast’s Wilfried Zaha was unlucky to get on the score sheet after Crystal Palace lost to his compatriot Serge Aurier’s Tottenham Hotspur.
In Spain, 27-year-old Algerian midfielder Ryad Boudebouz scored his first goal for Real Betis. After coming off the bench in the 63rd minute and scored a late equalizer in the 87th minute to rescue a point for Betis in a match that ended 2-2 against Getafe. It was the Algerian’s 5th appearance after joining the club on August 8th on a $7m deal from Montpellier in France.
Ghanaian defender Thomas Teye Partey was the hero at the Estadio Municipal de Riazor after scoring the winner for Atletico Madrid in the 90+1 minute against Deportivo La Coruna.
Congo DR’s Cédric Bakambu who is four goals behind La Liga’s top goalscorer Lionel Messi, was unable to register another goal after Villarreal defeated Malaga 2-0. The 26-year-old was last on target on October 22nd when Villarreal thrashed Las Palmas 4-0.
Over to France, two Africans, Adama Traoré (Mali) and Keita Baldé Diao (Senegal) were part of AS Monaco’s goal feast at the Stade Louis II after a thrilling 6-0 win over Guingamp. Traore scored a brace; he found the back of the net in the 27th and 75th minutes. It was his third goal in three appearances, while Senegalese Diao registered his lone goal in the 36th minute.
Also in the French Ligue 1, Ivory Coast attacker Giovanni-Guy Yann Sio came off the bench to score his second league goal for Montpellier in the side’s 1-1 draw with Amiens SC.
Mali’s Adama Niane changed the scores to 3-0 for Troyes when he came off the bench to help the team secure its first victory out of their last five games.
Nicolas Pépé of Lille had a wonderful time opening his goal account for his new club with a brace against Metz after a 3-0 away win.
Burkina Faso’s Bertrand Isidore Traoré scored his third league goal for Olympique Lyonnais in a 5-0 win over Saint-Etienne.
Italy: There was a goal drought for African players in the Serie A as they found it difficult to register their names on the score sheet.
Germany: Gabon’s striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Borussia Dortmund had a huge task against top opponent Bayern Munich, but was defeated 3-1 at the Signal-Iduna-Park, the home ground of Dortmund.
Featured Image: Getty Image
