African ALL Stars: The Bees are buzzing and Mofokeng sinks Sundowns

olympicgames17 March 2025 10:40| © Mzansi Football
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Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo’s excellent partnership at Brentford this season continued as they got a big win in the Premier League this weekend, while Relebohile Mofokeng proved a match-winner in a huge clash in the Betway Premiership in South Africa.

Here is a round-up of Africa’s top stars from this past weekend of football.

YOANE WISSA (DR CONGO & BRENTFORD)

Wissa’s excellent season continued as he helped Brentford to a 2-1 victory at Bournemouth to keep alive their hopes of qualifying for European football.

There are a set of very specific, and perhaps a little unrealistic, circumstances whereby 11th in the Premier League could mean continental qualification and that is the position Brentford currently sit in.

They fell behind on the English south coast, but Wissa managed an equaliser when he netted a rare header from Bryan Mbeumo’s corner kick. It is a 14th goal of the season in the Premier League to go with two assists, now one goal shy of his best ever campaign which was in Ligue 2 with Lorient when he netted 15 times in 2019/20.

BRYAN MBEUMO (CAMEROON & BRENTFORD)

Mbeumo provided the assist for Brentford’s equaliser with an inviting curling corner that came at pace into the six-yard box, allowing Wissa to guide it in at the far post. It takes the Cameroon star to 20 goal contributions this season, with five assists to go with the 15 times he has netted himself.

He is also one short of his best scoring season, which was for The Bees in the Championship in 2019/20, ironically the same year as Wissa. Brentford will have a huge job keeping hold of Mbeumo for next season, he has been among the best wide players in the Premier League this campaign.

OMAR MARMOUSH (EGYPT & MANCHESTER CITY)

Marmoush continued his dream start to life in the Premier League, even if Manchester City’s form continues to be patchy. He netted a fourth goal in six starts as Pep Guardiola’s side were held to a 2-2 draw by Brighton & Hove Albion.

Marmoush gave City a 2-1 lead on 39 minutes when he guided İlkay Gündoğan’s low cross into the box into the goal off the post. It was a neat finish from a player who scored 15 goals and got nine assists for Eintracht Frankfurt in the German Bundesliga in the first half of this season before his January move.

 

 

PAUL ONUACHU (NIGERIA & SOUTHAMPTON)

Southampton are doomed to relegation, of that there is little doubt, but the form of Onuachu in recent matches has at least been a bright spark for the struggling club.

He netted again in the 2-1 loss to fellow strugglers Wolverhampton Wanderers that sees The Saints rock bottom of the Premier League with nine points from a possible 87 this season and 17 points from safety.

Onuachu turned the ball into the net after the ball had come back off the post for his third goal (to go with one assist) in eight starts this season.

IDRISSA GUEYE (SENEGAL & EVERTON)

Everton made it nine league games unbeaten under returning coach David Moyes but they left it late to snatch a 1-1 home draw with the manager’s former side West Ham United. And it was a superb goal too, orchestrated by a brilliant assist from Gueye.

Charly Alcaraz crossed to the back post and the Senegal international midfielder showed great skill to volley the ball into the six-yard box, where it was met by the head of Jake O’Brien. It is a third assist of the season for the deep lying midfielder, but arguably one of the best of his career.

CEDRIC BAKAMBU (DR CONGO & REAL BETIS)

Real Betis’ push for European football next season received a huge boost when they came from two goals down to beat Leganes 3-2, helped in part by an equaliser from substitute Bakambu. Fresh from his two goals in the Conference League in midweek, he netted a fourth strike in as many games and a ninth of the season in all competitions.

Bakambu had earlier won the penalty that allowed Betis back into the game, and then headed in after a brilliant long-range shot from Marc Bartra was only parried into his path by the goalkeeper.

RELEBOHILE MOFOKENG (SOUTH AFRICA & ORLANDO PIRATES)

The massive top-of-the-table clash between Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns on Sunday could have been decisive in the Betway Premiership has The Brazilians triumphed. But two goals inside the opening five minutes from winger Mofokeng gave Pirates the perfect start and they were able to hold on for a win that keeps their title hopes alive … just.

If they win their four games in hand they will close the gap on Sunday to three points. His first came from a low cross by Evidence Makgopa, who had slipped his marker down the right wing. Mofokeng provided a cool right-footed finish.

His second, just a minute later, was more about the good work of the winger as he was played into space, drove to the edge of the box and fired low into the bottom corner of the net. The 20-year-old Mofokeng now has four goals and five assists in 19 starts in the league this season.