From Alt-Nouri’s historic strike to Africans trading goals in matchups in England and Scotland, the continent was well represented in European football. Read our weekly football recap to find out the best bits from the weekend.
PATHE CISS NETS CONSOLATION GOAL IN VALLECANO LOSS
Rayo Vallecano visited Athletic Bilbao at the San Mamés, knowing they faced an uphill task against a Bilbao side that has been in stellar form at home.
Bilbao were penalized for a foul in the box in the 35th minute. Pedro Díaz stepped up to take the penalty, and he was denied brilliantly by the goalkeeper. Pathe Ciss was on hand to spare his blushes, smashing the rebound first time into the net emphatically in the 36th minute of the game. The Senegalese midfielder put in a clinical display for Rayo once again. His goal made the difference between the two sides at the break.
A goal down, Bilbao made a duo of substitutions in a bid to swing things around. Vallecano were stunned by three second-half goals from Oihan Sancet and Nico Williams for Bilbao as they slumped to yet another defeat in La Liga.
THE RAYAN ALT-NOURI SHOW
One of the most in-form sides in the Premier League at the moment, Wolverhampton Wanderers played host to Tottenham Hotspur at the Molineux Stadium. Wolves wasted no time in grabbing the lead as they opened the scoring in the 2nd minute of the game. Jean-Ricner Bellegarde’s free kick was punched away by Tottenham’s goalie, but the ball fell to Alt-Nouri on the edge of the box. The Algerian wing-back smashed the rebound back into the net on the volley, leaving the goalkeeper no chance. The goal was his fourth league goal this season and the quickest goal in Wolves’ Premier League history.
Alt-Nouri was at the heart of Wolves’ second goal as Emmanuel Munetsi glanced his cross goalwards. The Tottenham goalie saved Munetsi’s header and punched the ball against Djed Spence, allowing the ball to rebound into the net. Two-nil! The hosts took a comfortable two-goal lead into the break.
Unwilling to go down without a fight, Mathys Tel pulled one goal back for Spurs in the 59th minute. However, their relief was short-lived as Wolves restored their two-goal margin minutes later.
It was the Alt-Nouri show once more as Wolves restored their two-goal margin over Spurs. Christian Romero failed to deal with a long ball over the defence, and Alt-Nouri nicked the ball from him before charging into the box and releasing a pass across the face of goal for a simple tap-in by Jørgen Strand Larsen.
There was a late twist as Richarlison pulled one goal back for Spurs in the 85th minute before Wolves restored parity a minute later. Tottenham’s defence was all over the place, and Matheus Cunha capitalized on their lack of concentration to extinguish any hopes of a Spurs comeback. Wolves have won four consecutive Premier League games for the very first time in the club’s history as Alt-Nouri’s MOTM performance stole the headlines. With four goals and six assists in the PL this season, he is the only defender to have been involved in 10+ goals.
PARTEY AND WISSA STRIKE IN STALEMATE AS ARSENAL’S TITLE HOPES FADE INTO OBLIVION
With their title chances slipping away, second-placed Arsenal played host to Brentford FC at the Emirates Stadium, aiming to secure a vital win ahead of their midweek Champions League knockout fixture against Real Madrid.
Chances were few and far between in the first half. The Gunners had a goal ruled out for offside, and both sides went into the break on level terms. Arsenal found their much-needed breakthrough in the second half as they grabbed the lead through Thomas Partey in the 61st minute. Following a Brentford corner, David Raya gathered the ball and released Declan Rice on the counter. The English midfielder sprinted into Brentford’s half alongside Gabriel Martellini and Partey before releasing the ball to the unmarked Partey, who applied a thunderous finish into the back of the net.
Brentford weren’t to be denied as they leveled proceedings through Yoane Wissa in the 74th minute.
Receiving a flicked headed pass from Nathan Collins, Wissa hammered the ball into the net with a superb acrobatic finish, to put The Bees back into the game. His 15th league goal this season!
It was a landmark goal for Wissa, who became the second player in Brentford history, behind Bryan Mbeumo, to reach 50 goals in the EPL. Simply exceptional! There was nothing to separate the two sides at the full-time whistle.
TOURÉ DAZZLES IN HOFFENHEIM WIN
Bazoumana Touré pulled the strings as TSG Hoffenheim claimed a resounding victory over FSV Mainz at the Rhein-Neckar Arena and returned to winning ways.
Looking to get back to winning ways, Hoffenheim got off to the perfect start as they opened the scoring in the 4th minute. Hoffenheim’s goalie sent a perfectly weighted ball over the top of the defence into Toure’s path, and the Ivorian winger released a cross first time into the path of Andrej Kramaric, and the Croatian striker guided the ball into the net with a simple touch at the far post.
The same combination that produced the first goal produced the second in the 32nd minute of the game. It was a breakaway goal for the hosts as Toure regained possession following a poor clearance by the Mainz defender and he sprinted away before teasing a beautiful pass into the path of Kramaric with the outside of his foot. The Croatian striker applied a tidy finish. The scores remained unchanged at the full time whistle as the hosts ultimately claimed the three points. A delightful victory for Hoffenheim as they pull clear of the relegation zone.
ANOTHER BIG GAME, ANOTHER SINAYOKO GOAL
AJ Auxerre played host to Olympique Lyonnais at the Stade de l’Abbé Deschamps, aiming to record a third consecutive league victory in the French top flight. Both sides put in a good defensive shift in the first half, and the scores were level at the break as Auxerre’s goalie denied Alex Lacazette brilliantly on two occasions. Lyon didn’t take long to find a breakthrough after the restart as Georges Mikautadze buried a penalty clinically in the 54th minute and Rayan Cherki doubled their lead eight minutes later.
Auxerre eventually halved the deficit through Lassine Sinayoko in the 77th minute. Sinayoko reacted quickly to a loose ball in the box, showing silky feet to dance away from the defenders before applying a powerful finish into the net. Another big game, another goal for Sinayoko. The Malian forward has only netted against the big guns in Ligue 1 this season.
Lacazette added a third goal for Lyon in the 84th minute as Auxerre slumped to their first defeat in three league games.
IGAMANE LEADS FIGHTBACK FOR RANGERS AGAINST GUEYE’S ABERDEEN
Aberdeen FC played host to Rangers FC at the Pittodrie Stadium in their Scottish Premiership fixture. Aberdeen grabbed the lead from Leighton Clarkson’s beautifully taken free kick in the 31st minute. Rangers were reduced to 10 men in the 40th minute as Ross McCausland was given his marching orders following a series of rash challenges. Aberdeen doubled their lead afterwards as Pape Habib Guèye capped off a well-worked team move. Receiving a pass, Shayden Morris skipped past one opposition player and raced down the right wing into the opposition’s box before teasing an inch-perfect low cross to Gueye, and the Senegalese midfielder applied a calm finish into the back of the net. Double delight!
Two goals and a man down, the Rangers were in dire need of inspiration as the first half came to a close. They turned to Hamza Igamane, and the Moroccan international delivered superbly. Igamane thought he had halved the deficit shortly after the restart, but his goal was ruled out as the ball had gone out of play in the build-up to the goal. His persistence paid off, and he got his goal in the 49th minute of the game. Findlay Curtis flicked a pass into his path, and he danced nimbly to evade the defenders before applying a left-footed finish into the bottom corner. Game on!
There was a late twist in the match: Ianis Hagi grabbed an equaliser for the Rangers in the closing minutes of the game, and they shared the spoils with Aberdeen in an unlikely comeback.
