The leagues around Europe are wrapping with plenty to play for across the continent. Africa’s players are playing their part with plenty goals and assists as we look at the best performers from this past weekend.
YOANE WISSA (DR CONGO & BRENTFORD)
Brentford kept up their push for a European place next season with an entertaining 4-3 victory over Manchester United. Wissa took his Premier League tally for the season to 18 to go with three assists as he scored his side’s fourth to make it 4-1, before The Bees had to hold on a little at the end. Wissa was teed-up by unselfish play from Michael Kayode, who squared for him to finish into an empty net. This has easily been the best season of Wissa’s career.
AMAD DIALLO (IVORY COAST & MANCHESTER UNITED)
Diallo has made a welcome return from injury in the last week having spent three months on the sidelines and marked his premier League return with United’s third goal at Brentford. It was a typical finish from the speedy winger has he picked up the ball and drove into the penalty area before finishing through the legs of the goalkeeper. It came in the 95th minute, just a little too late. The 22-year-old Diallo now has seven goals and six assists in 17 starts (and six sub appearances) this season.
BETO (GUINEA-BISSAU & EVERTON)
Beto has been in and out of the Everton team in recent weeks but scored his seventh goal of the campaign as Everton let a two-goal lead at home to Ipswich slip in a 2-2 draw. Beto headed in Carlos Alcaraz’s cross to get the Toffees on the board, a fine finish as he glanced the delicious cross into the far corner of the net. There is going to be a massive overhaul at Everton in the next transfer window and whether Beto remains on Merseyside is unclear at this stage.
JORDAN AYEW (GHANA & LEICESTER)
Leicester finally picked up a home win for the first time since early December (D1 L9) when they defeated fellow relegated side Southampton 2-0. It had been a long five months for their fans. Ayew got their second as he saw his initial free kick blocked, but when the ball fell to him again he buried his shot from 25-yards for a sublime finish. It is a fifth goal of the campaign in 16 starts (and 11 sub appearances). He has yet to register an assist.
BILAL EL KHANNOUSS (MOROCCO & LEICESTER)
El Khannouss has been the one bright spark in an otherwise dismal season for Leicester and it seem unlikely he will follow them down to the Championship with plenty of interest in his services. He set up their opener against Southampton with his cross from the left flank eventually falling for Jamie Vardy to finish. It was a third assist of the season for the 20-year-old, who also has two goals.
YANKUBA MINTEH (GAMBIA & BRIGHTON)
Brighton & Hove Albion played to a 1-1 draw with Newcastle United in a battle between two sides with European ambitions next season, and it was former Magpie Minteh who scored the goal for the home side. He has been superb this campaign and danced past former teammates Tino Livramento and Sandro Tonali before firing low into the back of the net. It is a sixth Premier League goal of the campaign to go with four assists in 17 starts (and 12 sub appearances0 to take his goal-contribution tally into double figures.
ANTOINE SEMENYO (GHANA & BOURNEMOUTH)
Bournemouth boosted their chances of European football with a shock 2-1 win at Arsenal, who look to be more focussed on their UEFA Champions league semifinal tie with Paris St-Germain. Semenyo has been superb for The Cherries this season and had a hand in their equaliser as it was his cross that was headed in by young defender Dean Huijsen. It is a fifth assist of the season for Semenyo to go with nine goals, with his goal contribution of 14 this campaign beating the 10 he managed last term.
NICOLAS PEPE (IVORY COAST & VILLARREAL)
It has not been the best of seasons for Ivorian forward Pepe, but he sprung into life as Villarreal defeated Osasuna 4-2 to leave them in fifth place and still on course for Champions league qualification. Pepe laid on two goals for Thierno Barry and Ayoze Pérez before he got on the scoresheet himself. He stooped low at the back post to head in and make it 4-1. That is now two goals and five assistant for Pepe in 12 starts (and 12 sub appearances0 this campaign.
MUNIR EL HADDADI (MOROCCO & LEGANES)
Leganes managed a 2-2 draw at Sevilla but remain four points from safety with four rounds to play as the spectre of relegation from LaLiga looms large. They made the perfect start though as El Haddadi put them in front against his former side after seven minutes, but in the end they had to rescue a point with an equaliser deep into the second half. El Haddadi netted with a free kick from 25-yards, though the keeper might have done better with his effort. He now has four goals in seven starts (and 14 sub appearances0 this season.
BOULAYE DIA (SENEGAL & LAZIO)
Lazio kept up their push for the Champions league next season with a 1-0 win over relegation-threatened Empoli and got their goal inside the first minute through Dia. It was a well-taken goal as Dia controlled a long pass with his chest and then cooly found the back of the net with 54 seconds on the clock. It is his ninth goal of the season to go with three assists in 25 starts (and seven sub appearabes0.
ADEMOLA LOOKMAN (NIGERIA & ATALANTA)
Atalanta are no longer in the Serie A title race but will want to secure Champions League football for next season and thumped bottom side Monza 4-0 as they moved three points closer to doing that. Lookman got his side’s third goal just after halftime as he showed strength and pace to latch onto a headed pass, hold off the defender and supply a neat finish at the near post. It is a first goal since early March for Lookman, and a 14th of the Serie A season to go with five assists. He will want to get to 20 goal contributions, something he has not yet managed in his career.
HASSANE KAMARA (IVORY COAST & UDINESE)
Mid-table Udinese defeated Cagliari 2-1 and Kamara played his part as he laid on the winner for Thomas Kristensen. His wicked cross came in with pace and Kristensen chested the ball into the back of the net. Udinese claimed a first win in over two months and their first double over Cagliari in Serie A in their history. It was a fourth assist of the season or Kamara to go with a single goal in 23 starts (and five sub appearances).
ANTOINE MAKOUMBOU (CONGO & CAGLIARI)
Before all of that, Makoumbou also played his part with an assist for Cagliari’s goal. He picked up the ball in his own half and then played a delightful ball over the top of the Udinese defence for Nadir Zortea to run onto and score. It would not be enough, but it was arguably the pass of the game from the Congolese international. It was his second assist in 4 starts (and six sub appearances).
IQRAAM RAYNERS (SOUTH AFRICA & MAMELODI SUNDOWNS)
Rayners assisted for the first and then scored Mamelodi Sundowns’ second goal as they stayed well on course for the Betway Premiership title this season, at the same time likely condemning Cape Town City to the relegation play-offs.
Rayners beat the offside trap for the first before slipping a delightful low cross to the far post, where Tashreeq Matthews was able to score. Rayners then latched onto an Arthur Sales pass in the second half before easily finishing past Darren Keet. It took his tally of goal contributions in the league to 20 this season, with 11 goals scored and nine assists. He has been a fabulous buy from Sundowns. Rayners now has 18 goals in all competitions.