It was another big weekend for Africa’s players in the elite leagues of Europe with several dramatic winners and fantastic contributions for their clubs. We round up the best of them.
MOHAMED SALAH (EGYPT & LIVERPOOL)
Salah has started the season like a house on fire and having spoken this week about how no-one at Liverpool has contacted him over a new contract, which expires at the end of the season, someone at Anfield needs to get on the phone! He got a goal and two assists as Liverpool defeated old rivals Manchester United 3-0 at Old Trafford to continue their impressive start to the season under new manager Arne Slot.
It was salah’s cross to the back post that laid the ball on a plate for Luis Díaz to score the first goal, The same two players combined for the second goal as Salah’s pinpoint low pass into Diaz in the box was turned home by the Colombian. Salah would not be outdone though and as Liverpool launched a quick break in the second half, he was played into acres of space in the box and rifled the ball into the net with his left foot, giving Andre Onana in the home goal no chance.
Mo Salah's contributions in Liverpool’s last 23 goals against United:
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) September 1, 2024
⚽ Goals: 11
🅰 Assists: 6
📺 Stream #MUNLIV on DStv: https://t.co/B0jLrQW5cc | #PL pic.twitter.com/G3F19hVShU
BRYAN MBEUMO (CAMEROON & BRENTFORD)
Mbeumo made it three goals in as many games this season with a brace in a handsome 3-1 win for Brentford over promoted Southampton. It was a major coup for Brentford to keep hold of Mbeumo in the transfer window given the fact he is one of the more lethal wingers in the Premier League.
Mbeumo's first came after Brentford hit the post and the ball fell kindly to him. He still had to finish and did so with great composure. The second was an equally accomplished finish as Southampton lost the ball trying to play out of the back and when Mbeumo was played into space with just the keeper to beat, he was never going to miss.
YOANE WISSA (DR CONGO & BRENTFORD)
Wissa grabbed his second goal of the campaign when he netted Brentford’s third goal, showcasing the excellence of the African partnership up front for The Bees. With Ivan Toney having left for Saudi Arabia, Wissa and Mbeumo will be the main source of goals for Brentford this season and they have not disappointed so far. It wasn’t the most beautiful goal, rather bundled over the line after Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale could not clear. But they all count!
ANTOINE SEMENYO (GHANA & BOURNEMOUTH)Bournemouth launched one of the great comebacks in Premier League history when they came back from 2-0 down at Everton in the 87th minute to win 3-2. Everton sh0uld have been out of sight by then as they calved Bournemouth open numerous times, but the visitors hung in there and got their reward.
Semenyo was the man to start the comeback when he turned the ball in at the back post. It is his second goal of the season after he also scored in the opening day draw at Nottingham Forest.
DANGO OUATTARA (BURKINA FASO & BOURNEMOUTH)
Ouattara was not on the scoresheet for Bournemouth in their epic comeback, but he played his part with the assist for Semenyo’s goal. He picked up the ball on the left and delivered a perfect cross into the box that flashed across the goal and was turned in by the Ghanaian. Ouattara was mostly a bench option last season but will be looking for more starts in this campaign.
NICOLAS JACKSON (SENEGAL & CHELSEA)
Jackson made it two goals in three Premier League games this season as he netted the opener for Chelsea as they were held 1-1 by fellow London side Crystal Palace. Jackson is still young at 23, but seems to be finding his feet in the Premier League and with plenty of competition among the forward players at Chelsea, needs to be delivering. He could not miss this opportunity as Chelsea launched a sweeping counter-attack and Cole Palmer provided Jackson with an open goal from three yards out.
MARIO LEMINA (GABON & WOLVES)
It was a fast start to the clash between Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers with the only two goals scored in the game coming insde the opening 12 minutes. Forest took the lead through Chris Wood, but Wolves soon equalised and iy was Lemina who laid on the goal for Jean-Ricner Bellegarde.
Lemina won the ball in midfield with some bravery and passed to Bellegarde, who thumped in a brilliant equaliser from 25 yards. Lemina played in 35 of Wolves’ 38 Premier League games last season, which shows how important he is to them.
WILFRED NDIDI (NIGERIA & LEICESTER)
It has been a tough start to the season for Leicester bit they will hope for brighter days ahead. Their Nigerian midfielder Ndidi had seemed destined to leave the club at the end of last season but signed a new contract to stay and help them on their return to the Premier League. Ndidi won an important header in the box against Aston Villa to allow Facundo Buonanotte to score, but it was not enough to get a point as the home side won 2-1.
ANDRE-FRANK ZAMBO ANGUISSA (CAMEROON & NAPOLI)
Napoli picked up their second win of the season with a 2-1 success over Parma as they continue life without free-scoring Nigerian Victor Osimhen, who will not be part of the first team squad this season and may yet leave for Saudi Arabia.
Napoli had looked destined for defeat as they trailed Parma 1-0 in the 92nd minute, but after new boy Romelu Lukaku equalised, Anguissa came up with a dramatic 96th minute winner. Napoli flooded players into the box and Anguissa rose to power in a thunderous header that sparked wild scenes of celebration in Naples.
André-Frank Zambo Anguissa in stoppage time 🤩🇨🇲
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) September 2, 2024
Napoli make it consecutive wins in Serie A thanks to this towering header 💥#SerieAMadeInItaly pic.twitter.com/Q5fxxr1D5q
EMMANUEL GYASI (GHANA & EMPOLI)
Bologna and Empoli played to a 1-1 draw in Serie A, but both goals were scored inside the opening three minutes! Gyasi equalised for Empoli with his second of the season already. He only netted one goal in 33 appearances in the entirety of the 2023-24 campaign, and only two in 35 appearances in 2022-23. Gyasi popped up at the back post with not the most orthodox finish as he chested the ball into the back of the net. At that stage the game promised plenty of goals, but there were no more scored.
SAUL COCO (EQUATORIAL GUINEA & TORINO)
Defender Coco is new to Serie A having joined Torino at the start of the season from Las Palmas in LaLiga, where he has spent his entire career to date. He has started every game and helped his side to seven points from their first three matches in a dream beginning to the season, the only blemish a 2-2 draw at AC Milan.
And now he has his first goal too, one of just three he has scored in his career spanning 129 appearances. His goal was scored with a header from a flicked on corner that nestled perfectly in the far corner of the net.
ADAM MASINA (MOROCCO & TORINO)
The man to provide the assist for Coco’s Torino winner was Moroccan defender Masina, who has also been a big part of the club’s excellent start to the campaign. He is in his second season with Torino having also played for Bologna and Udinese, as well as a spell in England with Watford. The 30-year-old cleverly flicked on the corner at the near post, allowing Coco to guide the ball into the net.
BOULAYE DIA (SENEGAL & LAZIO)
Dia grabbed a first goal of the campaign to put Lazio 2-1 up against AC Milan, but the home side could not hold on for victory and had to settle for a point in the end. It will still be a relief for Dia to get off the mark after he netted arrived at Lazio in this transfer window from Salernitana, where he had spent the previous two campaigns. It was a cool finish at the back post after the chance was laid on for him by Nuno Tavares’ strong run and cross.
JACKSON TCHATCHOUA (CAMEROON & VERONA)
Tchatchoua scored his first goal in Serie A as he helped Verona to a 2-0 victory at Genoa, netted only the third goal of his entire career after some 97 appearances. He arrived in Italy last season having played for Sporting Charleroi in Belgium, and proved an important cog on the wheel for Verona last season. He took his goal well as he arrived at the back post unmarked and following some hesitant defending from Genoa, lashed the ball into the back of the net.
KINGSLEY EHIZIBUE (NIGERIA & UDINESE)
Udinese continued their fine start to the season with a 1-0 win over promoted Como that leaves them with seven points from a possible nine and unbeaten in the early weeks. German-born Nigerian defender Ehizibue played his part as he laid on the assist for the Brazilian Brenner to give Udinese the win in a tight contest. The right-back also helped his team to a clean sheet.
MADUKA OKOYE (NIGERIA & UDINESE)
Part of Udinese’s strong start to the season has been the form of their Nigerian goalkeeper Okoye, who has stated all three games for them this campaign. The victory over Como was his first clean sheet, but he has only been beaten twice so far and pulled off several superb saves. Like Ehizibue, he is also German-born but long ago decided he would represent Nigeria in international football. Still only 25, there is much growth still to come from him.
KIALONDA GASPAR (ANGOLA & LECCE)
Lecce were badly in need of a win after losing their opening two games of the campaign and duly got one with a 1-0 success at home to Cagliari. The goal came midway through the first half when Gaspar’s back-post header was sent back across goal and Nikola Krstović was able to bundle the ball in. Gaspar is in his first season in Italy having joined Lecce from Estrela in Portugal.
ENZO BOYOMO (CAMEROON & OSASUNA)
Boyomo scored the opener as Osasuna won a five-goal three to defeat Celta Vigo 3-2, a rare strike for the 22-year-old defender. He now has four career goals in 143 appearances and a first in LaLiga. It was a bit of a scramble in the box from a corner, but he won’t care how they go in. It set Osasuna on their way to a home win and allowed him to celebrate a rare score.
WALID CHEDDIRA (MOROCCO & ESPANYOL)
Espanyol left it very late, but secured a 2-1 home victory over Rayo Vallecano, with Cheddira being the provider for Alejo Véliz’s 96th minute winner.
Cheddira is in his first season in LaLiga after spending his entire career in Serie A to date. He joined Napoli from Frosinone at the start of the season but after one substitute appearance has been loaned to Espanyol.