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AFRICAN ALL STARS: Salah sinks City in another superb display

football02 December 2024 16:19| © Mzansi Football
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Mo Salah and Nicolas Jackson continue their excellent form in the Premier League this season, while Walid Cheddira scored a brilliant goal for Espanyol in LaLiga. We round up the best performing African players from the weekend.

MOHAMED SALAH (EGYPT & LIVERPOOL)

Another week, another major contribution from Salah as her provided a goal and an assist for Liverpool in their 2-0 win over Manchester City that may have already secured them the Premier League trophy.

As yet he has not signed a new contract at the club and has openly said this could be his last season at Liverpool.

They should pay him whatever he wants, as he has been the catalyst for this title charge with 11 goals and seven assists in 13 games.

Just extraordinary. It was his low cross to the back post that was turned in by Cody Gakpo, before Salah added a penalty in the second period.

The Reds now have a nine point lead at the top of the table and look untouchable.

NICOLAS JACKSON (SENEGAL & CHELSEA)

Jackson is another striker in fine form and has been an important part of Chelsea’s bright start to the season that sees them in third in the table.

They had a tricky home clash with Aston Villa, but Jackson gave them the perfect start with the opening goal inside seven minutes.

It was a fine finish too as Marc Cucurella provided a cross from the right-hand side and Jackson hit it first time, beating Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez for pace.

That is now eight goals and three assists in 13 games for the Senegal international forward.

YOANE WISSA (DR CONGO & BRENTFORD)

Brentford are playing some lovely football this season, especially at home, and Wissa has been central to that.

They fell; behind early to Leicester City, but such is their attacking quality, it always looked as they though would win the game and Brentford eventually recorded a superb 4-1 victory.

Wissa pulled them level with a composed finish as he steered the ball into the back of the net under some pressure from the goalkeeper, after which Kevin Schade scored a hat-trick.

It was an eighth goal of the season to go with a single assist for the DR Congo forward Wissa.

AMAD DIALLO (IVORY COAST & MANCHESTER UNITED)

Manchester United had to weather some early pressure from Everton, but once they found their stride, the pace in their side was too much for the Toffees.

Diallo provides plenty of that on the right wing and he laid on their third and fourth goals at Old Trafford.

His strong run and slipped pass was perfect for Marcus Rashford to score seconds into the second half, before he stole the ball off James Tarkowski and raced clear again to find Joshua Zirkzee, who had an easy chance to score.

That takes Diallo’s assist tally in the Premier League to five this season, to go with a single goal.

TARIQ LAMPTEY (GHANA & BRIGHTON)

Lamptey has had an injury-plagued start to the season and only managed 82 minutes so far in the Premier League for Brighton & Hove Albion, but despite this now already has two assists.

He managed a second of the campaign in the south coast derby against Southampton on Friday night, as his brilliant cross from the right fullback position was perfect for Kaoru Mitoma to stoop and score.

Brighton could not hold on for the win but it has still be a good start to the campaign for them.

ALEX IWOBI (NIGERIA & FULHAM)

Iwobi continues to be a shining light for Fulham in recent weeks as he gets back to something like his best form.

He helped Fulham grab an equaliser at Tottenham Hotspur when his run on the left-hand side of the box provided a perfect cut-back for Tom Cairney to score an excellent equaliser from the edge of the box.

Cairney was later sent off with a straight red card. Iwobi now has three goals and three assists in 13 Premier League matches this season.

RANDY NTEKA (ANGOLA & RAYO VALLECANO)

Rayo Vallecano suffered a third straight defeat when they lost 2-1 at home to Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, but there was a first goal of the campaign for Angolan midfielder Nteka.

It was a superb finish as well as he gave his side the lead, running in behind the Athletic defence before deftly chipping the ball over the goalkeeper.

He has made five starts this season and will hope the goal leads to more, even if his side could not hold on for the win.

WALID CHEDDIRA (MOROCCO & ESPANYOL)

Struggling Espanyol secured a precious 3-1 home win over Celta Vigo on Saturday, with their third goal coming from Cheddira as he netted a first ever strike in LaLiga.

The Moroccan joined Espanyol from Napoli in Serie A at the start of the season, having spent his entire career in Italy to that point.

It was a good finish as he was played through on goal, showed great pace to stay ahead of the defender and then slotted the ball into the net, showing great composure.

He has made just three starts so far (to go with eight sub appearances), and now has a goal and assist to his name.

ANAS HAJ MOHAMED (TUNISIA & PARMA)

Tunisian teenager Haj Mohamed has a single start and four sub appearances this season, but has now taken his goal contributions to three having netted his first of the campaign to go with two assists.

He netted for Parma in their excellent 3-1 home win over Lazio, and it was a brilliant goal too. He picked up the ball 25 yards from goal and hit it first time, curling his shot into the top corner of the net, showcasing all of his brilliant technique.

He looks a real star on the rise for Africa.

GABRIEL CHARPENTIER (CONGO & PARMA)

Charpentier is yet to start for Parma this season but has come off the bench 10 times and provided two assists for the side in their 3-1 win over Lazio.

His first was a pass into Haj Mohamed to score his brilliant goal, Parma’s second. He then showed great game intelligence to initiate a fast break for the home side and release his captain Enrico Delprato to race clear and score the third.

Charpentier has now added two assists to the goal he scored earlier in the campaign.

SINOXOLO KWAYIBA (SOUTH AFRICA & CHIPPA UNITED)

Chippa United moved up to fourth in the Betway Premiership as they beat newly-crowned Carling Knockout champions Magesi FC 2-0 in East London.

They had midfielder Kwayiba to thank for his two first half goals, his first of the season, to continue a run of fine form for the side.

His first came from a Craig Martin assist inside seven minutes, before he added a second just before the break.

Kwayiba played for Bafana Bafana in their 5-0 win over Congo in October and will hope to score more goals to catch the eye of national team coach Hugo Broos.

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