Sports

Too Good, Too Bad: How African players performed in Europe last weekend

Published

2 years ago

October 17, 2022

It was a good footballing weekend for a lot of African players as some of them posted superlative performances for their European club sides.

Egypt captain, Mohamed Salah was the hero for Liverpool, scoring the only goal as the Reds put aside their poor run of form to pip Manchester City 1-0 to kick start their faltering EPL season.

Also in England, Ghanaian international, Thomas Partey was in best element again as Arsenal laboured to a 1-0 win over Leeds United to maintain top spot in the league while Nigerian striker, Victor Osimhen came back from an injury induced layoff to net the winner in a 3-2 defeat of Bologna in the Serie .

Africannewswatch brings you a review of how the continent stars performed for their respective European clubs last weekend.

Mohamed Salah – Egypt/Liverpool

Egyptian captain, Mohamed Salah showed once again that he is a player for the big occasion as he scored the only goal as Liverpool truncated Manchester City’s unbeaten run in the EPL on Sunday.

Mohamed Salah was the hero at Anfield as Liverpool pipped Man City (Photo Credit:Getty Images)

After earlier missing a sitter when in a one-on-one situation with City keeper, Ederson, the 30-year-old kept his cool to slot past the Brazilian keeper.

The Pharaoh who got a long ball from Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker, managed to squeeze past Joao Cancelo, before racing clear to curl the ball with his left foot past Ederson.

Thomas Partey – Ghana/Arsenal

In an Arsenal team that did not come with their A-game against Leeds, Ghanaian international Thomas Partey, still put up a showing in the middle of the pack as the Gunners ran out 1-0 winners to maintain top spot in the EPL table.

Partey was on from the start and ensure the jaded Gunners did not lose their heads when Leeds turned on the screw after going a goal down courtesy of a Bukayo Saka’s screamer in the first half.

Thomas Partey was the man for Arsenal as they maintained top spot in the EPL(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

The win saw Mikel Arteta’s side extended their Premier League winning streak to nine matches following a hard-fought victory over the Peacocks.

Victor Osimhen – Nigeria/Napoli

In the Italian Serie A, Victor Osimhen, came back from an injury setback to grab the winner as Napoli came from behind to beat Bologna 3-2 to extend their unbeaten league run to 10, putting them top of the table.

Victor Osimhen is back with a bang (Photo Credit: Napoli FC)

The Super Eagles striker scored the winning goal as the Parthenopeans continued their blistering form at the start of the 2022-23 season after manager Luciano Spalletti brought him on for Giacomo Raspadori.

The former Lille striker sealed all three points for his side in the 69th minute after he was set up by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, scoring his third league goal of the season.

Sadio Mane – Senegal/Bayern Munich

The Senegalese Afcon winner scored his fifth Bundesliga goal of the season as Bayern Munich thumped hapless Freiburg 5-0 at Allianz Arena on Sunday.

Mane scored the fourth goal for the Bavarians after goals from Serge Gnabry who opened the scores with Cameroon international, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Leroy Sane added the second and third.

The 30-year-old Lion of Teranga vice captain is now joint sixth in the Bundesliga top scorers list, as well as being Bayern’s leading scorer in the league.

Ademola Lookman – Nigeria/Atalanta

Ademola Lookman made it two goals in two matches after he got on the scoresheet as Atalanta beat Sassuolo 2-1 on Saturday to climb top of the league before Napoli took over top spot the following day.

The Nigeria international scored the winning goal as Atalanta continued their imperious form at the start of the 2022-23 season with the Goddess unbeaten in 10 league games.

The Nigerian winger has four goals so far this season and is looking to be a shrewed but for Atalanta who snapped him up from RB Leipzig in the transfer window.

Ademola Lookman was the hero for Atalanta (Photo Credit: Atalanta FC)

Mohammed Kudus – Ghana/Ajax

After a rare blip the previous weeks Ghana international Mohammed Kudua came off the bench to register his name on the scoresheet as Ajax thrashed Excelsior 7-1 in an Eredivisie fixture on Sunday.

So far, Kudus has scored five league goals from 10 appearances and is ranked joint sixth in the Eredivisie top scorers chart, as well as being the Ajax’s third-top league scorer.

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Sports

Al Ahly, Esperance to clash in CAF Champions League final

Published

16 mins ago

April 27, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Two of Africa’s club giants, Egypt’s Al Ahly and Esperance of Tunisia, will do battle next month over two legs for the right to be crowned champions of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

Title-holders Al Ahly and their long-standing rivals Esperance both booked their places in the final with dramatic semi-final victories over DR Congo”s TP Mazembe and Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa respectively on Friday night.

While Al Ahly, winners of five of the last seven editions of the continent’s top draw tournament, with a record 11 in total, overcame TP Mazembe with a 3-0 aggregate victory in the semi-final second leg after a goalless first leg last Saturday, Esperance surprised Sundowns with a 1-0 victory in Pretoria to wrap up a 2-0 aggregate win.

The two-legged final will mark the third encounter between Ahly and Esperance in the Champions League final, with the Egyptians winning in 2012 and the Tunisians triumphing in 2018.

In 2023, the two clubs clashed in the semi-finals with Ahly emerging victorious home and away, securing a 4-0 aggregate triumph.

Esperance who are aiming for a fifth Champions League title, will host the first leg in Rades on May 18, with the return fixture scheduled in Cairo seven days later.

Sports

Former Zambian captain Rainford Kalaba discharged from hospital after near-fatal accident

Published

1 day ago

April 26, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Former Zambian national team captain, Rainford Kalaba, has been discharged from hospital weeks after he was involved in a near-fatal accident where he sustained serious injuries.

The accident which involved a head-on collision between a Mercedes-Benz car in which Kalaba was in, and a truck, had initially sparked fears for his life and has since been in the Intensive Care Unit of the Zambian University Teaching Hospital (UTH).

The good news on the footballer’s progress was released by the UTH Public Relations Officer, Nzeba Chanda, who informed that the Chipolopolo legend has been discharged after showing positive signs of recovery.

“Mr. Rainford Kalaba has been discharged from the UTH-Adult where he was admitted after being involved in a road traffic accident two weeks ago,” Chanda said, adding that Kalaba will continue his recovery at his family home.

According to local media reports, the 37-year-old was a passenger in a Mercedes Benz when it collided with an oncoming truck in the south-eastern Zambian town of Kafue a week and five days ago.

In his active playing days, Kalaba spent the majority of his club career at TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo, winning the CAF Champions League with the club in 2015 and the CAF Confederation Cup in 2016.

He also had a spell with clubsides in Portugal including FC Braga, and was a major part of the Zambian squad that won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2012 under Frenchman, Herve Renard.