AFRICAN ALL STARS: Sensational Salah keeps Liverpool’s title bid on track

Africa’s stars at home on the continent and abroad had another prolific weekend with goals, assists and clean sheets to help their teams to important wins. We pick out the best of the performers.

MOHAMED SALAH (EGYPT & LIVERPOOL)

Liverpool have opened up a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League and there is no doubting their star player in the opening months of the campaign. Salah added another goal and assist to his impressive tally this season as the Reds beat Aston Villa 2-0. He now has eight goals and six assists in 11 matches, meaning he has been involved in 14 of the 21 Premier League goals Liverpool have scored so far, or two-thirds. He is making it hard to argue that he has been the best African import to the English topflight, though what he perhaps needs to back that up is more silverware. He assisted Darwin Nunez’s opener against Villa, though he did not know much about it as he was fouled and the ball squirted towards the forward. His goal six minutes from the saw him show his pace to break from his own half and provide a cool finish.

YOANE WISSA (DR CONGO & BRENTFORD)

Brentford came from two goals down to beat in-form Bournemouth 3-2 and their African contingent played their part. Wissa scored their first and third goals to take his tally for the season to seven to go with a single assist, a fine return that shows The Bees have not missed Ivan Toney. His first was a header after Bournemouth failed to clear a long throw into the box. With the game level at 2-2, he then got in behind the Bournemouth defence, showed great pace and provided a neat finish to give his side a lead they held on to.

BRYAN MBEUMO (CAMEROON & BRENTFORD)

The brilliant Mbeumo did not provide an assist for Wissa, but he did lay on Brentford’s equaliser to make the score 2-2. His superb ball into the box was perfect for Mikkel Damsgaard to score his first-ever Premier League goal from a very tight angle. It was, somewhat surprisingly, Mbeumo’s first assist of the campaign, but he does have eight goals to his name. Between him and Wissa, they have been involved in 16 of Brentford’s 22 goals. Only Tottenham (23) have scored more than Thomas Frank’s side this season. Their problem is that only second-from-bottom Wolves (27) have conceded more than their 22.

ALEX IWOBI (NIGERIA & FULHAM)

Fulham have risen into the top seven on the back of some excellent form in recent weeks as they followed a home win against Brentford with a 2-0 success at Crystal Palace. The second goal was scored by Harry Wilson, but laid on by Nigeria star Alex Iwobi, who has been a key figure in recent games. Iwobi’s pass into the box was perfect for Wilson to take a touch and score. That is now two goals and two assists this season for the Super Eagles playmaker.

AMAD DIALLO (IVORY COAST & MANCHESTER UNITED)

Diallo has been given an extended run in the Manchester United team this season and after two goals in the Europa League against PAOK on Thursday, he started against Leicester City in the Premier League. It was his assist for Bruno Fernandes that gave the Red Devils the lead. It was a cheeky backheel into the path of the Portugal international, who struck a low shot into the far corner of the net - a second assist of the campaign to go with a single Premier League goal.

ANDRE ONANA (CAMEROON & MANCHESTER UNITED)

Onana recorded a fifth clean sheet in 11 Premier League games this season when he kept Leicester at bay at Old Trafford as United coasted to victory. The Red Devils have the joint fourth-best defensive record in the Premier League and Onana has been a big part of that with his superb reflexes and reading of the game.

MARIO LEMINA (GABON & WOLVES)

Wolverhampton Wanderers finally earned a first win of the season as they beat bottom side Southampton 2-0, three points they will say is long overdue. After taking the lead inside two minutes, it took until the 51st for them to add a deserved second. Lemina fed Matheus Cunha some 30 yards from goal and the latter unleashed an unstoppable shot into the corner of the net that was one of the goals of the round - a second assist for Lemina this season to go with a goal.

HASSANE KAMARA (IVORY COAST & UDINESE)

Kamara gave Udinese the lead at high-flying Atalanta, but they were not able to hold on for the win and lost 2-1. It was a first goal of the season for the defender and he has now matched his tally in the last campaign. It was a cracking strike too as he was afforded time and space 25 yards from goal and with an angle, before unleashing an unstoppable drive into the far corner. He doesn’t get many, so this must be up there with the best goals of his career.

ILIAS AKHOMACH (MOROCCO & VILLARREAL)

Villarreal eased to a 3-0 home win over Alaves to stay in the top four in LaLiga and they were given the lead by winger, who got his first goal of the season and just a third of his top-flight career. He collected a Nicolas Pepe pass in the box and fired in a shot on the turn that nestled into the far corner. It was a brilliant strike and shows all his quality. At the age of 20, he could mature into a fine player.

NICOLAS PEPE (IVORY COAST & VILLARREAL)

Pepe grabbed a second assist of the season to go with a goal he scored previously in the comfortable win for Villarreal. That is three goal contributions in 566 minutes on the pitch and the Ivorian may feel he should have a few more. Maybe they are still coming this campaign …

BRAHIM DIAZ (MOROCCO & REAL MADRID)

Real Madrid brushed aside Osasuna to win 4-0 and Diaz laid on the hattrick goal for Vinicius Junior in the second half. It was some good play from Diaz too as he robbed the defender of the ball and then unselfishly laid the ball across for the Brazilian to score his third goal. The Moroccan might have shot himself, but instead collected a second assist to go with a goal.

NEO MAEMA (SOUTH AFRICA & MAMELODI SUNDOWNS)

Mamelodi Sundowns got their second goal in a 2-0 Carling Knockout semifinal win over Marumo Gallants deep into injury time when Maema was fed the ball from a tight angle on the left of the box, but fired his shot into the goal and put the result beyond doubt. It was a good finish from Maema and his first goal in over a year since Sundowns defeated Kaizer Chiefs in a league clash in August 2023.

GODFREY MASHIGO (SOUTH AFRICA & MAGESI)

Mashigo came up with the pivotal moment for Magesi FC as they stunned hosts Richards Bay to also seal a Carling Knockout final place, their first-ever visit to a decider and the chance to lift some silverware. It was good persistence from Mashigo, as he latched onto a defensive error to race clear and provide a very composed finish. It was his first goal in almost a year, since he netted in the second tier against Orbit College in December 2023.