The English Premier League returned to right where it left off, opening the 2017/18 season with thrilling weekend of football. Benin’s forward Steve Mounie enjoyed his Premier League debut after scoring a brace for the newly promoted side, Huddersfield who won 3-0 against Ivory Coast Wilfried Zaha’s Crystal Palace, at the Selhurst Park in London.
Senegal’s attacker Sadio Mané also made a return to the scoresheet with a goal for Liverpool in the side’s 3-3 draw in an intriguing encounter with Watford at the Vicarage Road Stadium.
Egypt’s Mohamed Elneny and Algerian forward Riyad Mahrez provided assists when Arsenal came from behind, thrice to nail Leicester City 4-3.
Also on Saturday, 26-year-old Egyptian attacker, Ahmed Hegazi introduced himself to the English league with a lone goal in West Bromwich Albion FC’s narrow win over Congo DR’s Benik Afobe’s AFC Bournemouth.
Jacques Maghoma of Congo DR scored the winner for Birmingham City in his 69th appearance after his side defeated Bristol City 2-1 on Saturday.
Belgium
Mbwana Ally Samatta (Tanzania) on Sunday scored twice after Genk defeated Antwerp 5-3 to record its first win in three matches in the Belgium First Division A league.
Also on Sunday, Senegal’s Amara Baby got the curtain raiser in Sporting Charleroi’s 2-0 victory over Anderlecht. It was the 28-year-old’s 12th goal since joining in the 2015/16 season from Auxerre in Franc, registering his first goal of the new season for Sporting Charleroi in its 2-0 win over Anderlecht.
Ghana’s Nana Ampomah returned to the scoresheet on Saturday for Waasland-Baveren with a goal in the team’s 3-0 win over KV Oostende, following a goalless spell since May 19th. The 21-year-old midfielder has so far made 21 appearances since he joined the club in 2016.
It was also a great debut for Nigeria’s Taiwo Awoniyi after he netted Royal Excel Mouscron’s first goal in the 2-0 win over Lokeren at the Daknamstadion.
Still, in Belgium’s First Division A, Nigeria’s Samuel Kalu’s lone goal in the first half for Gent could have won all three points for the Buffalos but was held by a late 86 minutes goal to even the scoreline.
Earlier on Friday, Nigeria’s Emmanuel Dennis and Aaron Leya of DR Congo were both on target when Zute-Waregem and Club Brug met; Dennis’ side took the day with a 2-1 win that maintained his side at top of the table with nine points out of three games.
Denmark
The top goal scorers chat is being led by African trio in Denmark’s Superliga with Ghana’s Ernest Asante (5 goals) and Godsway Donyoh (4 goals) both of Nordsjaelland and Nigeria’s Ebere Paul Onuachu (4 goals) of Midtjlland, tallied as the top three goal scorers.
Asante was unlucky to get his name on the scoresheet, however, it was his compatriot Donyoh who scored a brace for Nordsjaelland, but it could not overturn Nigeria’s Onuachu, who scored in the first half as Midtjlland secured its third win out of five games.
Also in Demark, Gambia’s Bubacarr Sanneh scored for Hornens in the team’s 1-1 draw against København in the Superliga over the weekend. Midfielder Joseph Mensah of Ghana also featured for Hornens – marking his fifth start of the season – while Congo’s midfielder Delphin Tshiembe, who has been part of the starting lineup for the past four games, was later introduced from the bench.
Scotland
In the Scottish Premier League, Cameroon midfielder Gilles Djoum, made his 63rd appearance for Hearts on Saturday in a 1-0 victory over Kilmarnock, marking the first of its league wins, while Ghana’s Prince Buaben was left out of the squad.
On the same day, Nigerian defender Emmanuel Ambrose was the lone central defender in Hibernian’s 3-5-2 formation used against Rangers that witnessed Hibernian collects a 3-2 triumph.
Over to Finland, Cameroon’s attacker Gaël Junior Etock on Sunday scored the winning goal in the 90th minute to secure a crucial victory for JJK in a 2-1 win over PS Kemi.
Norway
Ghana’s 23-year-old attacker, Raymond Gyasi ended his goal drought in the Norwegian league with a single goal as Stabæk drew 2-2 with Haugesund.
In another match, Senegalese midfielder Krepin Diatta provided an assist and later got a goal in the 80th minute, but his side, Sarpsborg 08 was held to a 2-2 draw.
Sweden
Elsewhere in Sweden, Sierra Leon attacker Mohammed Turay was the lone goal scorer for AFC Eskilstuna over the weekend after a one-all with AIK in the Swedish league.
On Friday, Kingsley Sarfo (Ghana) came off the bench to form part of a goal feast by scoring the fifth goal after Malmö FF trashed Kalmar 6-0.
Netherlands
The new season in the Netherlands over the weekend kicked off with African duo Lars Veldwijk (South Africa) and Mimoun Mahi of Morroco; scoring one and 2 goals, respectively for their side as Groningen drew 3-3 a thrilling encounter with Heerenveen.
Featured Photo: BBC Sports
