Ryad Boudebouz increased his tally of goals in the season to three after scoring a brace for Montpeillier whom he joined from Bastia this term in the La Palliages 6-2 drubbing to Monaco on Friday.
Cameroon striker Dona N’Doh scored the opener in Niort’s 2-1 win over eight-placed Clermont also on the same day in the French Ligue 2. Moroccan goal-getter Khalid Bouatib is showing ruthlessness in front of goal, netting after fifteen minutes as Strasbourg launched a late rally to bully Auxerre 2-1. Gabon’s Denis Bouanga and Mali’s Cheick Fanta-Mady Diarra starred scoring each in the 4-1 demolition of Valenciennes. Adama Niane will complete scorers of Malian contingent with the 23-year-old converting a decisive penalty four minutes in the second period to hand Troyes all point also in Ligue 2.
Adboulaye Sadio Diallo netted his third of the campaign but it wasn’t enough to prevent Bastia from succumbing on 2-1 defeat to Lille. At the Stade Michel d’Ornano, Henri Saivet poked in a goal in a battle Saint Etienne thumped Caen 2-0. Habibou Mouhamadou Diallo another Senegalese, climbed off the substitutes’ bench to add to an earlier goal authored by Indomitable Lions’ Mandjeck but Metz still fell 4-2 to French Ligue One toppers Nice.
In Qatar Stars League, DR Congo’s Kaluyituka Dioko scored his first goal for Al Mua’dar SC but his bottom-placed outfit were no match to Xavi’s table-topping Al Sadd hammering them for four.
Yaw Yeboah is slowly walking himself into Twente’s lineup with his latest exploit laying a strong case for that. The Ghanaian winger, on loan from Manchester City, set Twente on road to victory scoring the opening goal a minute from break in a game that saw Celina stab home the winner a minute from time to assure Twente of a 2-0 win over Go Ahead Eagles on Saturday.
In Spain, Morocco’s Fedal had a 90-minute run getting cautioned for an infringement in the 22nd minute in Depotivo Alvares’s 3-1 trouncing to Real Sociedad.
Ghana’s Kevin Prince Boateng got on the score sheet for Las Palmas, his second in six outings against Villareal in a Primera Division encounter this evening.
Elsewhere in Scotland, Soulayemane Coulibaly is on-fire scoring his fifth goal in ten cameos for Premiership side Kilmarnock in the 1-1 draw against Inverness CT.
CAF Africa Player of the Year nominee Pierre-Emerick Aubameyeng’s prolific form is showing no sign of abating as he’s on seven goals in seven games, continuing from where he left off last term.
The Gabonese striker led Dortmund’s come-from-behind to draw Ingolstad 3-3 at the Audi-Sportpark. Solomon Kalou was on show in second-placed Hertha BSC’s 2-1 win over Koln before getting subbed seven minutes from time on Saturday.
Naby Deco Keita of Guinea bagged two goals as RB Leipzig punched Ousman Manneh’s Werder Bremen 3-1. Desert Foxes’ Bentaleb followed suit with a brace as Schalke 04 clattered Mainz 3-0 today.
Kenya’s Wanyama and Ivory Coast’ star Gradel fared in Bournemouth and Tottenham goalless stalemate at the Vitality Stadium while Iwobi and Mohammed Elneny of Arsenal were vital in the Gunners’0-0 score with Middlesbrough at the Emirates Stadium.
Still in the English Premier League, Dr Congo’s Bolasie secured his first goal for The Toffees since switching from Palace but his equalizing goal was reduced to a mere consolation as Burnley condemned Everton to its second defeat in a game Idrissa gana Gueye got hauled off in the second-half for Koeman’s side.
Ahmed El Mohamady and Senegal’s Mame Biran Diouf were the sole Africans in Hull City-Stoke City clash. A Shaqiri’s brace, one in each half, proved the difference for The Potters.
Nigeria’s Ahmed Musa got recalled to the starting lineup for the Champions, notching the opener as Leicester walloped Crystal Palace 3-1. Algerian duo Mahrez and Slimani including Ghana’s Amartey all starred while Mali’s Bakary Sako watched proceedings from the bench for The Eagles. Ighalo, Geudioura and Gambia’s Modou Barrow played a part in Swansea City –Watford 0-0 tie, in a weekend Kouyate was instrumental in the Hammers’ 1-0 over win bottom-placed Sunderland.
Hit-maker Sadio Mane was at it again scoring the opener in what’s his fourth goal of the campaign as joint second-placed Liverpool swaggered past Westbromwich Albion.
Kelechi Iheanacho is showing Pepe is about time he’s trusted ahead of Aguero after scoring again this weekend with his goal saving City of its blushes in a 1-1 score against Southampton. Countryman Victor Moses was featured from start to finish as Jose Mourinho got taught a nasty 4-0 lesson on his return to Stamford Bridge.
A step below the EPL, Ivory Coast’s Jonathan Kodjia made it four goals in nine matches with his15th minute effort proving decisive for Aston Villa against Fulham.
Cameroon’s Stephane Mbia was on target for fourth-placed Hebei CF in China as his club rained five on Tianjin Teda. Papis Demba Cisse also saw his goal tally soar to five with the Senegalese international grabbing Shandong Luneng’s lone goals as they got clattered 4-1 by third-placed Shanghai Sipg.
Malick Mane Saturday bagged his 73rd career goal in a total 261 appearances as his deadly form this season continues. The one-time capped Senegalese is the reason for Taraz staying little clear of the relegation zone in Kazakhstan’s Premier League.
The 28-year-old is on run of total thirteen goals, six of those from the relegation play-offs. He raced Taraz to the driving seat after just 20 minutes ticked in a fierce contest The Blue and Whites spanked Tobol 2-1.
Gambian-Norwegian attacker Moussa Njie wasn’t deserving of being on the losing end after spurring relegation-threatened Stabaek ahead only for Sarpsborg 08 to turn things around with two goal in three minutes. Njie is on four goals in twenty-six games.
In faraway Slovakia, Nigeria 22-year-old forward Musefiu Olasunkanmi Ashiru was the man to rescue Tatran Presov plunging in two goals away to Zemplin Michalovce where they got tied to a 2-2 affair.
Guinean playmaker Seydouba Soumah set Slovan Bratislava on road to a 5-1 cruised over compatriot Guilavogui’s Zlate Moravce. Soumah, a former Ajax Cape Town midfielder, has been Slovan’s go-to-guy with the 25-year-old already on seven goals in eleven starts.
Subtract his goals, Slovan, on third in the 12-team Slovakian Super League, would be in a relegation dogfight by now. But his influence has been key to the side’s re-invigoration as club faithful would be hoping the African front the herculean campaign to clutch the title this season after losing out to runaway champions Trencin by a huge margin last year.
In Finland, Kenya’s Amos Ekhalie and Mariehamn were declared Viekkausliiga (league) champions after beating IIves 2-1 on the league final day. Nigeria and KuPS’s Faud Gbolahan is the highest scoring African in the Scandinavian country on 13 goals in 31 matches, missing only a game this season.
Featured Photo: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyeng(Courtesy of the AP)
