It’s seven goals in 12 starts for Islam Slimani as the Algerian leveled for The Foxes three minutes after Everton raced into the lead. But the champions got beat by The Toffees 4-2 with Lukaku netting his 23rd of the season in 30 starts.
Earlier on Saturday at the White Hart Lane, Tottenham, without Victor Wanyama, walloped Watford 4-0 to close the gap on leaders Chelsea.
It was a bad day in office for Ahmed El Mohammed when the Egyptian inadvertently turned the ball into his own, setting up Manchester City on the path to a rout.
Yaya Toure started but got hauled off while Nigeria’s Iheanacho joined the fray from the bench.
Liverpool and Cameroon’s Joel Matip pulled a magic off the hat, rallying late to beat Mame Biram Diouf’s Stoke City. The Senegalese striker watched impotently from the bench without minutes.
Indomitable Lions’ Allan Romeo Nyom and Westbromwich Albion trailed 1-0 to Southampton in another EPL schedule on Saturday.
Senegal’s captain Cheikh Kouyate was man of the occasion for West Ham United, scoring the wining goal in a game that saw the Ayew brothers crossing paths in the field.
Victor Moses made way for Kurt Zouma as Chelsea did just what they thought of Ben Afobe’s AFC Bournemouth.
It’s 19 goals in 33 starts for Ivory coast’s Jonathan Kodjia in the English Championship. The Elephant man spurred Villa ahead after only three minutes ticked but Burton Albion would equalise via Dyer.
Togo’s Floyd Ayite plundered in his eight of the season, securing the first goal in Fulham’s 3-1 spanking of Ipswich Town.
Senegal’s 25-year-old Soulayemane Doukara had his goal tally soaring to six as Leeds United breezed past Preston North End 3-0.
Germany
Algeria’s Bentaleb and Choupo-Moting of Cameroon starred in Schalke’s 4-1 thrashing of Wolfsburg while Guinea’s Ibrahim Traore nestled the ball to the net for Borussia M’gladbach.
At the Redbull Arena, Naby Deco Keita was part of the RB Leipzig outfit that scrapped past Bayer Leverkusen 1-0.
The same was the case with Salomon Kalou who featured for Hertha BSC in the 2-0 win over Augsburg.
Italy
Over to the Italian Serie A, Omar El Kaddouri of Morocco was on the score sheet for Empoli in the one-all tie against Sulley Muntari’s Pescara.
24-year-old Joseph Alfred Duncan got booked in the final minutes as Sassoulo draws Atlanta. The Ghanaian is yet to score in the season.
France-born Serge Gakpe, like Ghana’s Kwadwo Asamoah, played no part in the Juventus-Chievo league tussle. Juve would snatch all points courtesy of striker Higuain’s brace.
Senegal’s Khouma Babacar added to his goal tally of six by firing in the equalizer for Fiorentina to force a share of the spoils against Sampdoria.
Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu won the all Ghanaian clash against compatriot Isaac Cofie as Udinese made a light work of Genoa 3-0.
Mohammed Salah notched in his 11th goal for Roma in the 3-0 triumph over Bologna.
Afriyie Acquah spared his teammates of their blushes, stepping up to score as Torino swaggered past Cagliari.
Spain
DR Congo’s Cederic Bakambu was the unsung hero for 10-man Villareal scoring and putting up a brilliant performance in the 3-1 downing of Athletic Club.
Thomas Teye Partey had minutes under his belt for Atletico in the capital derby against Real Madrid.
Elsewhere, Gael Kakuta of DR Congo scored twice. However, the France-born’s brace counted for nothing as Sevilla mounted a late surge to nick in four goals at Depotivo La Coruna’s expense.
Ghana’s Mubarak Wakaso and Nigeria’s Agbo Uche got cautioned by the referee as a stuttering Granada suffered a 3-1 bullying to Valencia.
France
Ibrahim Amadou brought an end to his 29-game run without a goal, securing a spectacular early goal for Lille but fellow African Victor Enyeama was the man on the receiving end as the Nigeria goalie got shipped twice by Italy’s Mario Balotelli to help Nice consolidate its position at second.
The African quintet of Ismail Traore, Cheikh N’Doye, Karl Toko –Ekambi, Famara Diedhiou and Nicolas Pepe all featured but Angers SCO still got punished by leaders Monaco with Radamel Falcao the goal assassin.
Isiar Dia has been a phenomenon for Nancy and was yet again at hand to deliver the goods when needed most, netting twice to put Rennes to the guillotine.
At the Pac Olympique Lyonnais, Cameroon’s Afcon winning captain Moukandjo partnered Ghana’s Abdul Majeed Waris to humiliate Lyon before the very noses of their supporters.
Moukandjo struck twice with Waris also accounting his name on the score sheet as Marveaux scored to complete strugglers Lorient’s 4-0 thumping of the one-time Ligue One’s giants.
Highest scoring African player in the French top flight Steve Mounie didn’t get to score this time but countryman Stepane Sessegnon from Benin was the man deputizing him in front of goal, smacking in a delectable effort in Montpellier’s 2-0 win over Caen.
Burkina Faso’s Prejudice Niguimbe Nakoulma raced Nantes ahead but a resurgent St Etienne would equalize via Corgnet.
Netherlands
Burkina Faso and Chelsea on-loan forward Betrand Isidore Traore gave a reminder of the talent he can be on his day, stamping home two goals to mark his 9th of the ongoing campaign.
Midfield maestro Hakim Ziyech of the Atlas Lions grabbed the final goal as second-placed Ajax battered a sorry NEC five goals.
Elvis Manu of Ghana is coming on the receiving end of derides following his sending off with the game barely 12 minutes old which, many believe, is result of Go Ahead Eagles’ 4-1 lost to Heracles.
The defeat compounds The Eagles’ woes, adding a dampener to their chances of beating the drop as they sit bottom of the 18-team standings.
Featured Photo: Jonathan Kodjia (Courtesy of Reuters)
