AFRICAN ALL STARS: Bissouma, Salah star for Africa in Europe

Bissouma, Salah star for Africa in Europe There were goals and assists aplenty from Africa’s star names in Europe’s biggest leagues this past weekend as we round up the best of the performers.

NICOLAS JACKSON (SENEGAL & CHELSEA) 
Chelsea ran riot against Wolverhampton Wanderers with a 6-2 victory at Molineux in a game that is already being billed as one of the matches of the season. Jackson came in for criticism last season for his perceived wastefulness in front of goal, but he started this season well and bagged The Blues’ opener inside two minutes.

Jackson headed home at the back post after a corner for his first goal of the campaign, and then provided the pass for Cole Palmer’s brilliant second goal to add an assist to his afternoon’s work. The last campaign was Jackson’s first in England following a move from Villarreal in Spain, and he still managed 14 Premier League goals despite the critics round on him.

YVES BISSOUMA (MALI & TOTTENHAM)
Bissouma missed Tottenham Hotspur’s opening game against Leicester City having been videoed inhaling nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, on social media. But he returned with a bang having taken his punishment, blasting the ball home from the edge of the area in Spurs’ 4-0 win over Everton. It was his first goal for the club in his third season with the team, and quite the bullet to get him under way. There has always been the feeling he should score more given his obvious quality, so maybe there is more to come.

THOMAS PARTEY (GHANA & ARSENAL)
It was ‘Partey time’ for Arsenal in their 2-0 win at Aston Villa, always a tricky fixture for The Gunners against a side who beat them at The Emirates late last season to essentially deny Mikel Arteta’s team the title.

 The Ghana midfielder is over long-term injury woes and netted his first goal since March 2023 when he was teed-up by Bukayo Saka, and rifled in a low shot that burst through the attempted save by Emi Martinez in the Villa goal. Party is another player who probably should score more given his talent. That goal was his sixth in 117 appearances for Arsenal in all competitions.

ALEX IWOBI (NIGERIA & FULHAM)
Iwobi remains an influential figure at Fulham and that showed again this weekend as he helped them to a 2-1 home win over promoted Leicester. He scored the winner, showing good pace and strength to race down the left flank, hold off the defender and fire a powerful shot into the net. It is his first goal since March and he will look to top his tally of five in the Premier League last season, which was the best of his career to date.

MOHAMED SALAH (EGYPT & LIVERPOOL)
Salah is looking fitter than ever and sharp as a tack at the start of the season as he netted his second goal in two games to help Liverpool defeat Brentford on Sunday. The Reds were 1-0 up but under some pressure from Brentford and needed a second goal.

 Step up Salah, who received the ball in space, drove into the box and provided a typically cool finish past the goalkeeper. You can’t give him that amount of time, because he will punish you and is deadly in front of goal. That is now 2013 Liverpool goals and counting.

AMAD DIALLO (COTE D’IVOIRE & MANCHESTER UNITED)
Manchester United slipped to a first defeat of the season as they lost 2-1 at Brighton, with the one bright spark the performance of Diallo, who was lively throughout and capped his appearance with a goal.

 It was just a second in the Premier League for a player who has had loan spells at Glasgow Rangers and Sunderland in recent seasons, and he took it well, cutting back inside the box onto his left-foot before unleashing a powerful shot that went in via a deflection. At the age of 22, he will now hope this is his season in the big-time, having started both United’s games so far this season.

EMMANUEL GYASI (GHANA & EMPOLI)
Gyasi scored only his second goal for Empoli when he helped them to an excellent 2-1 away win at Roma. He bagged one in 33 appearances last season, so will be relieved to be off the mark early in this campaign and hope for a better season in front of goal. The 30-year-old arrived at the back post to knock the ball into the net for the opener as Empoli made it four points from their opening two games of the new campaign.

SIMON ADINGRA (COTE D’IVOIRE & BRIGHTON)
Adingra scored last week in the win over Everton, but this time provided a 95th minute assist as Brighton beat Manchester United late on for a full haul of six points from their opening two games.

 It was his perfect cross to the back post that was headed in by João Pedro to snatch all three points for Brighton. The Ivorian international saw the run of his teammate and put it on a plate for him to head home.

ANTOINE SEMENYO (GHANA & BOURNEMOUTH)
Bournemouth will feel aggrieved they did not get a win against Newcastle having had a late goal chalked off for a disputed handball, but Semenyo played his part in earning them a point as he provided the assist for Marcus Tavernier’s opener. He did well to draw three defenders out wide before providing a pinpoint cross into the six-yard box that was turned home. Bournemouth could not get the win though and have a single point from two games.

NOUSSAIR MAZRAOUI (MOROCCO & MANCHESTER UNITED)
Mazraoui is a new arrival at Manchester United this season but played his part in setting up the goal for Diallo that looked to have earned his side a point. It was his perfect ball that sent Diallo away on the left flank and resulted in the goal. Mazraoui was previously with Ajax Amsterdam and Bayern Munich, and seems to have settled into life in England well having started both United games to date.

HAMARI TRAORE (MAIL & REAL SOCIEDAD)
Right-back Traore had a fine day out in Real Sociedad’s 1-0 win at Espanyol, not only helping his side keep a clean sheet, but also providing the assist for their winner.

 It was Sociedad’s first win of the season and a fine start for Traore, who is in his second campaign in LaLiga after joining from Rennes in Ligue 1. The game had been heading for a stalemate before Traore’s pass to Japan international Takefusa Kubo allowed the latter to cut inside and score a brilliant winning goal.

YVAN NEYOU (CAMEROON & LEGANES)
Promoted Leganes continued their solid start to the new season with a first win as they defeated Las Palmas 2-1, and Neyou played his part with an assist for their opener. The Cameroon midfielder is in his first season in LaLiga after years of knocking about the lower leagues of France and Spain, and has made an instant impact. It was his pass that created the space for Juan Cruz to drive into and score a thunderbolt of a goal.