It was another successful weekend for many of Africa’s leading stars in Europe’s top leagues with goals and assists as they (mostly) helped their sides to success. Here is a look at the top performers.
VICTOR OSIMHEN (NAPOLI & NIGERIA)
Nigeria star Osimhen has proven the ultimate goal poacher this season but also had plenty of class and football intelligence. His bagged goal number 18 in Serie A this season with the second strike in runaway leaders Napoli’s 2-0 victory at Sassuolo. With nothing seemingly on, he spotted Sassuolo goalkeeper Andrea Consigli slightly off his line and drilled the ball into the back of the net from the tightest of angles. Osimhen has now scored in each of his last seven Serie A games, and in 12 of the last 14.
ASSAN CEESAY (LECCE AND GAMBIA)
Ceesay scored his first goal since mid-October with an early long-range strike that helped Lecce to a 2-1 victory at Atalanta. It is a fourth of the Serie A campaign for the Gambian, who moved to Italy from Swiss side FC Zurich at the start of the season. It was a superb goal from all of 40 yards as Ceesay unleashed a low drive into the bottom corner of the net inside four minutes.
ALEX IWOBI (EVERTON & NIGERIA)
The arrival of manager Sean Dyche at Goodison Park has helped Everton to two wins from their last three games, the latest a vital 1-0 success against fellow strugglers Leeds United. It was a rip-roaring battle, but Everton created the better chances and should have won by a greater margin, as Super Eagles star Iwobi proved the catalyst once again. It was his ball down the right wing that released Seamus Coleman to score from the tightest of angles. Iwobi remains a key player for Everton and their creative spark in midfield.
TINO KADEWERE (MALLORCA & ZIMBABWE)
It is fair to say it has been a battle for Zimbabwe striker Kadewere since his move to LaLiga at the start of the season, but he finally broke his duck in what was his first start for Mallorca in their 4-2 victory over Lyon. It was a first league goal for Kadewere in almost exactly a year, and a simple side-footed finish, but he will hope it opens the floodgates and there are many more to come this season.
SAMUEL CHUKWUEZE (VILLARREAL & NIGERIA)
Playing in the same game, though on the opposite side, was Nigerian Chukwueze and he nagged a second LaLiga goal of the campaign (though he has four in the Copa del Rey). He netted on 50 minutes to level the score at 2-2, before Mallorca went on to score two more and take the win. It was a calm finish over the goalkeeper after he beat the offside trap to race into the box and find the back of the net.
EL BILAL TOURE (ALMERIA & MALI)
Almeria took a 6-1 LaLiga thumping at Girona but there was a bright spark on a dark day for Mali forward Toure as he bagged a fifth goal of the league campaign. It was a neat finish too as he showed his pace to outstrip the defence and round the goalkeeper, before keeping his cool to slip the ball into the back of the net from a tight angle.