African footballers were in a rich vein of form and performed brilliantly across Europe over the weekend. We take a look at some standout performers across Europe’s top five leagues in this weekly football recap episode.
SALAH KEEPS SHATTERING THE RECORDS
The Premier League leaders played host to bottom-placed Southampton FC at Anfield, aiming to consolidate their position at the top of the table.
The Reds’ first-half performance was abysmal, and the Saints took advantage of it to grab the lead in the additional minutes of the first half through Will Smallbone, capitalizing on a miscommunication by the Liverpool defense.
Liverpool made a trio of substitutions to switch things up at the break and it didn’t take long for them to find the equalizer as Darwin Nunez netted for the Reds in the 51st minute.
The Reds’ newfound intensity resulted in a penalty, as Nunez was brought down in the 18-yard box, and Mo Salah stepped up for Liverpool. The Egyptian winger is Liverpool’s Mr. Reliable from the spot, and he delivered superbly once again, emphatically burying the penalty into the net to give them the lead. Come back complete!
The Reds were given an opportunity to extend their lead in the 86th minute after The Saints were penalized for a handball in the penalty box. Salah stepped up and repeated his earlier heroics, sending the goalie the wrong way and letting fly into the top corner. Never in doubt!
Salah’s brace made him the third-highest goalscorer in Liverpool’s history. Additionally, he equalled Sergio Aguero’s record of the highest number of goals scored in the Premier League by foreign internationals. King Mo!
MUNETSI OFF THE MARK FOR WOLVES
Wolverhampton Wanderers FC played host to Everton FC at the Molineux Stadium, aiming to return to winning ways in a bid to avoid relegation.
Both sides threatened early on, but it was the visitors who found the breakthrough first through Jack Harrison’s 33rd-minute opening goal. The hosts wasted no time in pulling a goal back as January signing Marshall Munetsi came to their rescue. The Zimbabwean midfielder timed his run to perfection and guided Jean-Ricner Bellegarde’s well-placed pass into the net in the 40th minute. His maiden PL goal and his first goal for The Old gold!
Munetsi became the Premier League’s first Zimbabwean goalscorer since Benjani Mwaruwari netted for Blackburn against Liverpool in 2011. In a surprising turn of events, the goalscorer was substituted for Pablo Sarabia at the break. There was nothing to separate both sides at full time as it ended all square at the Molineux.
LOOKMAN STRIKES AGAIN FOR LA DEA
Atalanta BC visited Juventus FC at the Allianz Stadium, aiming to grab a statement win in their unlikely title charge.
The match started on a bright note for both sides, but the visitors found the opener in the 29th minute after the hosts were penalized for a handball in the area. Serie A top scorer Mateo Retegui stepped up and bruised the penalty into the net. Ademola Lookman came close to doubling the lead in the additional minutes of the first half, but his deflected shot cannoned off the upright. Retegui’s goal was the difference between both sides at the break.
Atalanta came out firing on all cylinders and they grabbed a goal immediately after the restart as Marten de Roon turned in the rebound from Ademola Lookman’s saved shot to double their lead. A double substitution by Juventus in the 54th minute failed to prevent Atalanta from extending their lead as Davide Zappacosta added a third goal for the visitors.
A slip by Dusan Vlahovic allowed the ball to fall kindly to Lookman in Juventus’ half, and the Nigerian hitman wasted no time driving at the Juventus defense.
Charging all the way into Juventus’ 18-yard box, he cut in and unleashed a shot into the net, the shot taking a slight deflection on the way in. The goal was his 50th goal in Serie A and his thirteenth goal in Serie A this season.
Lookman was substituted for Lazar Samardžić in the 80th minute. A job well done for the African Player of the Year, as he had a direct hand in two goals for Atalanta. It was an unforgettable night for La Dea as they thumped the Old Lady in a resounding manner and returned to winning ways.
EJUKE NETS STUNNING WINNER FOR SEVILLA
Real Sociedad played host to Sevilla FC at the Estadio De Anoeta as the visitors were looking to get back to winning ways following two consecutive draws in their previous league matches.
The hosts had a number of goal-scoring chances in the first half, but they lacked a finishing touch, and the scores remained level at the break. Sevilla found an opening immediately after the restart to take the lead. Sociedad was caught in possession of their own half, and Sevilla went on the offensive immediately. A quick team move found Saul laying the ball off into Chidera Ejuke’s path. Justifying his inclusion in the starting XI for the first time in 2025, Nigerian winger Chidera Ejuke opened the scoring for the visitors, curling the ball beautifully into the back of the net. A peach of a goal!
The goal was his 2nd goal in Andalusian colours. Having netted the winner, Ejuke was substituted for Juanlu Sánchez in the 70th minute. Sevilla have now won both games in which the Nigerian winger has scored in this season.
SISSOKO LEADS BOCHUM TO SHOCK WIN OVER BAYERN
Bundesliga table toppers Bayern Munich played host to VFL Bochum at the Allianz Arena, aiming to secure an eleventh consecutive league victory at home.
Bayern got off to a perfect start as Raphaël Guerreiro opened the scoring for them in the 14th minute and doubled their lead fourteen minutes later. It seemed the three points were destined to remain in Munich at that point.
The visitors weren’t willing to give up without a fight, and they grabbed an equalizer through Jakov Medić in the 31st minute. Game on! A red card to João Palhinha in the 40th minute provided a huge advantage for the visitors, and they capitalized perfectly on their numerical advantage in the second half.
Senegalese midfielder Ibrahima Sissoko grabbed the equaliser for Bochum six minutes into the second half, prodding Felix Passlack’s cross into the top left corner net with a powerful header to catch the Bavarians out cold. A well-timed occasion to net his second league goal this season.
Matúš Bero Provided the match-winning goal for Bochum in the 71st minute, stunning the Allianz Arena into submission. Comeback complete! A stunning thriller as the visitors pulled off an unlikely comeback against the league leaders.
NUAMAH NETS SUBSTITUTE GOAL FOR LYON
OGC Nice played host to Olympique Lyonnais at the Allianz Riviera, aiming to extend their impressive unbeaten run at home this season.
Nice was dominant in the opening half, but Lyon’s defense held on resolutely to thwart them as the half ended on a goalless note. In search of a breakthrough, both sides made a couple of second-half substitutions in order to swing the match in their favour. The visitors were in luck as 76th-minute substitute Rayan Cherki netted the opener for them in the 78th minute.
The odds were in Lyon’s favour as 66th-minute substitute Ernest Nuamah netted a second goal to all but confirm the three points for the visitors. Receiving a pass from Thiago Almada, Nuamah took the ball in his strides and unleashed an unstoppable effort about 25 yards away from goal. One for the highlight reels!
The Ghanaian attacker’s third league goal of the season helped Lyon secure a consecutive league victory.
