Yaya Toure’s incredible comeback from the cold remains the focus point as the Ivorian smacked home a brace to deliver the goods for a near stuttering Manchester City.
Belgium
Bagayoko and Koubemba couldn’t help stop Club Brugge from securing the points from Sint-truiden. Omar Colley, Ndidi and Samatha were the nucleus as Genk breezed over AS Eupen in which Guinea’s Diallo turned the ball into his own net.
Zimbabwe’s Knowledge Musona grabbed his seventh goal of the campaign as second-placed KV Oostende ensured Westerlo received floodgates of goals.
Democratic Republic of Congo’s Herve Kage is also in the run for the golden boot after plunging in his seventh goal for Kortijk while Asare and Simon partnered to make sure Gent jettisons off Royal Excel Mouscron with Taranga Lions M’Baye Leye getting the final goal that shot down Anderlecht, in another schedule.
Denmark
21-year-old Kristian Mogang Bassogog raked up 73 minutes of football for AAB in Denmark but his involvement couldn’t turn the tie around for his side who ended up losing 2-1 to serial table-topping Copenhagen. Bubacarr Sanneh of Gambia and Horsens AC regrouped well to put a 5-1 schooling to Midtyyland last Sunday behind by knocking Lyngby 1-0.
DR Congo’s Junior Kabananga Kalonji netted the winning goal for leaders Astana in a Cup competition battle against Kairat in Kazakhstan.
England
Yaya Toure’s spectacular comeback was the talking point on Saturday. He sure proved a point to critics that he’s still got some stamina in him. Toure, who’s got his hat in the ring for the African Player of the Year gong, had been kicked to the peripheries since a highly publicized spat between his agent and coach Guardiola. Seluk apologized for his uncomplimentary remarks towards Guardiola prompting the return of Yaya to the A-tea set up. And, returning for the first time since last playing in August, the 31-year-old Ivorian smacked in a brace earning him Man-of the Match. His form will undoubtedly give Pep selection headache in future games.
Mahrez pulled a goal back for champions Leicester City in a keenly contested clash in which Capoue and Pereya each grabbed a goal to hand Watford all points. Ahmed Musa and Schlupp joined the fray from the bench along with Guedioura while Morocco’s Amrabat partnered Deeney in attack.
Victor Anichebe is proving a timely inclusion, scoring twice in Sunderland’s 3-0 bashing of Hull City. The Nigerian has scored thrice in two games, appearing to lead the Black Cats push a fortune revival.
Wilfred Bony got booked at the 365 Stadium as Bournemouth stole the show with a Nathan Ake’s 26th minute goal.
At the St Mary’s stadium, Senegal’s star Sadio Mane had a blank run in Liverpool’s 0-0 affair against his former club Southampton. Matip and Boyfal, the other Africans in the contest, all stared. Mane got subbed out with Belgium’s Origi his replacement. At the Goodison Park, Everton were held at home by a resolute Swansea comprising Modou Barrow of Gambia. Bolasie and Idriss Gueye formed part of Everton as both started the game.
At the White Hart Lane, Kenya star Wanyama had the last laugh as Tottenham, swaggered over Andre Ayew, Diafran Sakho and Kouyate’s West Ham United on 3-2.
Victor Moses was an unmistakable presence in Chelsea’s labored 1-0 win over Middlesbrough.
France
Ivory Coast’s right-back Aurier played a big part in temporary Ligue One leaders PSG’s 2-0 trouncing of Nantes while Isa Dia’s Nancy thumped Dijon 1-0 with Benin’s Steve Mounie increasing his tally for the season to four after scoring Monpilier’s equalizer in the 1-1 tussle against Bastia.
Goerges Constant Mendjeck of Cameroon was man of the moment on Saturday, drilling in Metz’s second of the game which proved eventual match-winner against Toulouse in a thrilling clash of mid-table outfits. Chiekh N’Doye, a 30-year-old Senegalese playmaker saw red as 9-man Angers SCO contained Rennes 1-1.
Germany
Bakary Jatta, who arrived a refugee in Germany before signing for Hamburg, was again made to wait for his debut as he watched his bottom-placed club Hamburg tussle out a 2-2 score with Hoffenheim. His Gambian compatriot Ousman Manneh was not even listed in Werder Bremen’s against Frankfurt today evening.
Earlier on Saturday, Gabon’s Aubamayeng showed he can be the difference-maker when it mattered most, angling home the winner as Dortmund cruised over Bayern, condemning the Alianz Arena side to their first defeat of the campaign. Our last weekend abroad-based best performing African now has twelve goals to his name, topping the Bundesliga scoring chart.
Solomon Kalou couldn’t pull a punch as Hertha Berlin settled for a goalless showdown.
Bentaleb and Choupo-Moting featured but got hauled off in the second period as Schalke piped Wolfsburg 1-0. German-born Nigerian player Leo-Aderemi Balogun was thrown in as a fresh-leg in Mainz’s 4-2 bullying of Freiburg with Guinean captain Ibrahim Traore starting Borrusia Monglabach’s 2-1 humbling to Koln.
Syli Nationale’s Naby Deco Keita turned provider for Forsberg’s goal as surprise Bundesliga leader Red Bulls Leipzig continue their fairytale run to the season after eleven games.
Netherlands
Angola’s Alfredo Kulembe Ribeiro and Port Harcourt-born Abdul Ajagun were on the score sheet as Excelsior beat 3-2 Sparta Rottherdam and AZ grinds out a 1-1 tie with Roda JC. Chelsea on-loan forward Betrand Traore had a slice in the goal galore as Ajax schooled NEC 5-0 while South Africa’s Mokotjo and Yeboah of Ghana participated in the Twente’s one-all stalemate with Utrecht.
Former Aston Villa and Ahli midfielder El Ahmadi was the sole Moroccan to score in the Dutch top tier as Feyenerood packed three past Zwolle.
Zimbabwe’s Marvelous Nkamba collected his fourth booking of the new term as Vitesse slugged out a 1-1 affair with Heerenveen while Rabat-born Rochdi Achenteh starred in the left-back position in Go Ahead Eagles’ 2-1 defeat to Heracles. Derrick KatukuTsimanga and Atlas Lions Kali fared as Willem II draws PSV.
Nigeria’s Tyronne Ebuehi wasn’t deserving being on the losing end as Ado Den Haag bit the dust to Groningen.
Italy
Diao Balde Keita aided Lazio to triumph past Genoa in a weekend compatriot El Hadji also got the nod to start in Emploi’s 4-0 savaging to Fiorentina. Nwankwo climbed off the bench but his involvement barely had any impact for Crotone as Torino Triumphed 2-0. Taider of the Desert Foxes was the sole African deemed good enough for a start against Palermo as Donsah, Umar and Sarr all warmed the bench.
Frank Yannick Kessie, from Ivory Coast, sent Roma packing with his winning penalty goal at the death. Asamoah was an invaluable in Juve’s comprehensive mauling of Pescara. Black Star Ageymang-Badu was up against Naploi’s Amadou Diawara but lost with the Naples running out 2-1 victors. Gambia’s Lamin Jallow watched proceedings from the bench after seeing his Serie A debut for Chievo delayed again but the Flying Donkeys made sure of the points following a slender 1-0 sailing over Cagliari.
Qatar
Kisito Wilfred scored his first goal for Al Ahli in the one-all stalemate with Um Salal in the Qatar Stars League. Ghanaian duo Dabanka and Benson including DR Congo’s Mubele starred from start to finish for Ahli. Rashid Sumaila, another Black Star plying his trade in Qatar, was in the referee’s book in the 43rd minute for an infringement but made up for it scoring as Al Garafa sashayed 4-2 over Al Arabi.
El Arabi notched the equalizer for Lekhwiya, Tiaiba’s 54th minute goal was reduced the a mere consolation in Al Shashaniya’s spanking to El Jaish. North African pair Hamroun and Moutouali each scored in Al Wakhra and Al Sadd 1-1 result.
Spain
Aissa Mandi marked his first ever goal for Real Betis in nine starts after sealing a move from Reims in France. The 25-yer-old Algerian poked in the final goal of the game just before half-time as Betis overcame Kevin Prince Boateng’s Las Palmas 2-1. Elsewhere, Indomitable Lions veteran Carlos Kemeni was a giant order, denying a Messi or Suarez-less Barcelona in a game Malaga managed only 18 percent of the possession. Uche Ugbo, elsewhere, got into the referee’s booklet in struggling Granada’s rare 1-1 point share with Valencia.
Scotland
Guinea’s Lonsana Doumbouya notched in his fifth goal of the season in eleven cameos but Iverness CT would fall 3-1 to Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership. Morocco’s El Bakhtaoui could do little to stop Dundee from slipping to Rangers 1-0 as Forrester’s last-gasp effort sealed it all for the former champions.
Turkey
Algeria’s Nabil Ghilas and Zambia’s Evans Kangwa made up the Gaziantepspor roster that succumbed 3-0 to Konyaspor. Cameroon’s Mbamba came in to make a six minute appearance for the winning side. Malian midfielder Abdulwalid Sissoko and Akhisar Belediyespor squared Bursaspor but the duel ended nil to both sides, in another Turkish premier league fixture.
Featured Photo: Courtesy of Manchester City
