Sports

Africa to the World: Stars to watch this weekend in Europe’s top leagues

Published

2 years ago

April 23, 2022

The stage is once again set this weekend for African soccer stars to strut their talents for their various European teams.

The past weekend was a mixed bag of some sort for them but with many of the players living up to expectation, better things should come from the continent’s stars expected to feature for their respective clubs.

In a rare start for Arsenal after almost four months, Egypt midfielder Mohamed Elneny gave a decent account of himself in Arsenal’s 4-2 thrashing of Chelsea at the Stamford Bridge on Wednesday and is in line for another shift as the Gunners welcome Manchester United to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday lunchtime showpiece.

In the French Ligue 1, Achraf Hakimi and Idrissa Gueye are poised to claim the French top-flight title by picking up just a point this weekend when they square up against Lens.

Let’s have a roundup of what to expect from African stars this weekend.

Mohamed Elneny – Arsenal

Playing in only his first start since December, Elneny had a decent showing in Arsenal’s 4-2 success at Chelsea, as he helped shore up Arsenal’s midfield in the absence of fellow African, Ghanaian Thomas Partey who is out injured.

Elneny’s previous start came in the 3-2 loss at Manchester United and he could be set to make another start against the same opponents at the Emirates Stadium this weekend.

With a top-four spot still up for grabs, the Gunners know the importance of successive victories against sides they are potentially doing battle with for those positions and Mikel Arteta’s side are fired up to pick all three points to move clear of their opponents.

Achraf Hakimi, Idrissa Gueye – Paris Saint-Germain

Achraf Hakimi and Idrissa Gueye both featured for Paris Saint-Germain in Wednesday’s 3-0 success over Angers which puts them on the verge of reclaiming the Ligue 1 title with just a point against Lens this weekend.

Hakimi set up Kylian Mbappe’s 28th-minute strike and the dependable defender is expected to start against Lens.

Gueye was a second-half substitute at Stade Raymond Kopa but the battling midfielder could start his 18th league game as PSG look for the point that will guarantee them the title.

Ismaila Sarr, Emmanuel Dennis -Watford

Second from bottom Watford have lost four of their last five in the Premier League and they face a daunting trip to league leaders Manchester City looking to pull off one of the season’s shock results, with Sarr and Dennis expected to start.

Sarr missed the reverse fixture at Vicarage Road but should be in line to feature at the Etihad Stadium as the Citizens aim for three points to end the gameweek atop the standings.

Dennis ended his goal drought in last week’s 2-1 defeat by Brentford and he looks to score in back to back games against Manchester City.

Alex Iwobi – Everton

The Super Eagle midfielder completed five Premier League games in succession under Frank Lampard last weekend and is expected to continue in midfield when Everton travel to Liverpool for the 240th Merseyside Derby, hoping to avoid their rivals doing the double over them.

Following Burnley’s win over Southampton on Thursday, Lampard’s men are a point ahead of the Clarets and could drop into the bottom three this weekend if they lose at Anfield and the 18th-placed outfit win defeat Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Taiwo Awoniyi – Union Berlin

Awoniyi scored his 13th Bundesliga goal last weekend and is now Union Berlin’s record scorer in the top flight.

With eight game-opening goals, the striker sits joint-top alongside Anthony Modeste and Robert Lewandowski.

Union Berlin travel to in-form RB Leipzig looking to end the nine-match unbeaten run of the Saxony outfit and if Awoniyi comes to the party, they could come out with at least a point.

The Berlin outfit have won the last three in the Bundesliga and could make it four on the trot against the Europa League semi-finalists.

Yoane Wissa – Brentford

Wissa has started Brentford’s last two league games since scoring at Chelsea and the forward could be in the starting line up for a third match running when the Bees host top four hopefuls, Tottenham Hotspur.

It could be the attacker’s 10th start for Thomas Frank this season and he would take his tally for the season to six with his next strike.

Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah – Liverpool

The 240th meeting between Liverpool and Everton takes place at Anfield this weekend with the Reds resounding favourites to secure maximum points.

Salah halted his three-game run without a league goal by putting two past Manchester United and while Mane also helped himself with a goal and a sublime assist for one of Salah’s two goals in the 4-0 routing of their opponents.

The pair are likely to feature when they take on the Toffees with the added incentive of securing a first double over their eternal rivals since the 2016/17 season.

Related Topics:Africa Featured Football Soccer Stars

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Sports

Kenya’s marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge becomes UN Sports Ambassador

Published

2 days ago

October 9, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Kenya’s marathon legend, Eliud Kipchoge, has been named the Goodwill Ambassador for Sports, Integrity and Values by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), making it the second straight year after he was first named in 2023.

The double Olympic champion who was decorated for the role at the UN headquarters in Gigiri, Nairobi, on Wednesday, will serve in the role for two years.

In a statement by the UNESCO East Africa Regional Director, Louise Haxthausen, Kipchoge was chosen for his values in discipline, integrity and his role in championing for environmental conservation and the education for children.

“We have a very similar state of mind and priorities (with Kipchoge) and that is what made it a perfect match for us to join hands,” Haxthausen said.

“For him, being the exceptional athlete that he is and with a bigger outlook onlife and how sports can be a means to live a better life is what attracted us to him. We are also looking at how young people can be empowered through sports, education and caring about the planet. He has a very strong engagement on environmental conservation and that is an area close to what UNESCO is doing.”

In his response, Kipchoge said he is delighted by his new role as it aligns with his Eliud Kipchoge Foundation which has education as one of its three pillars.

“UNESCO is particularly keen on environment and education and the values of my foundation are the same and they come hand in hand.

“We want to go round the country promoting education, build kindergartens and give children better classrooms. We want to spread this to the neighboring countries, the rest of Africa and even the whole world, to make small communities develop,” Kipchoge added.

Sports

Kenya’s former junior world 800m champion Kipyegon Bett dies aged 26

Published

4 days ago

October 7, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Former Kenyan World under-20 800m athletics champion, Kipyegon Bett, has reportedly died at the age of 26 following an illness.

Bett was an 800m specialist who won the junior world title in 2016 and went on to claim bronze at the senior World Championships in London the following year.

But his career was shunted in 2018 when he was handed a four-year doping ban and struggled to make an impact on his return but could not hit his previous form.

His sister, Purity Kirui, who confirmed his demise to BBC Sport Africa, said he had been sick for a month.

“He had been sick, complaining of stomach pains for about a month. The doctors said he had a liver problem and had been in and out of hospital.

“Last week we took him to hospital after he started vomiting blood and he was admitted. I went to see him on Sunday morning and he told me he was in pain.

“He told our dad, who is a pastor, to pray for him because he didn’t feel he would survive and after 12 noon he died. We tried everything to save him, but he left us. It’s very painful.”

Athletics Kenya official, Barnaba Korir, who also spoke on the death of the talented Bett, described him as one of the most talented half-milers in the world and a polite, easy-going and extremely amiable athlete.

Local media said Bett was one of Kenya’s high-profile athletes but his career was derailed when he was sanctioned for anti-doping violations by the Athletics Integrity Unit after he refused to submit a sample and he subsequently tested positive for erythropoietin (EPO).

His sister, a 3,000m steeplechase runner who won Commonwealth gold in 2014, said being absent from the track had an adverse effect on Bett, who was 20 at the time of his ban.

“When Kipyegon was banned he started drinking a lot, wouldn’t eat well and suffered depression,” she said.

“We tried to help him stop drinking, but whenever we wanted to take him to rehab he would disappear from home for days.
I tried to get him back into athletics when his ban ended by getting him running kit and shoes.

“Before his death we had a plan to try one more time to take him to a rehabilitation centre in Kisumu.”

Bett was the fourth child among six siblings and took up athletics to follow in his sister’s footsteps.