African footballers returned to action with a bang, dominating European matches and headlines. Mo Salah was at his record-breaking best, Mo Kudus dazzled greatly in North London, and Antoine Semenyo silenced his critics in domineering fashion. We captured all the headlines from African footballers across Europe in this first weekly football recap episode of the 2025/2026 season.
SEMENYO SILENCES RACISTS AS SALAH STROLLS TO ANOTHER RECORD IN THRILLER
Mohamed Salah sealed the three points for Liverpool as the Reds stormed to a 4-2 victory over Bournemouth at Anfield on an emotional, record-breaking night for the Egyptian winger. Antoine Semenyo singlehandedly pulled Bournemouth back into the tie, but his heroics were not enough to deter the Champions.
Liverpool opened the scoring in the 37th minute as debutant Hugo Ekitike found the back of the net sublimely. His goal was the difference between the two sides at the break. Cody Gakpo doubled Liverpool’s lead four minutes after the restart to put clear daylight between the hosts and the visitors.
Ghanaian winger Semenyo had been racially abused earlier in the match, and he silenced his abuser with an emphatic second-half performance. He halved the deficit for the Cherries in the 64th minute, prodding David Brooks’ low cross underneath Alisson to cap off a sweeping team move.
Andoni Iraola introduced Hamed Traorè in the 74th minute, a well-timed substitution as Traorè provided the assist for Semenyo’s leveler two minutes after his introduction.
Semenyo netted the equaliser following a surging run on the counterattack, sprinting all the way from his own half to Liverpool’s. He cut inside onto his preferred left foot and drilled his shot into the bottom right corner. A sensational solo goal! He silenced his critics domineeringly and justified Bournemouth’s decision to reward him with a new contract.
Bournemouth’s joy was short-lived as Liverpool’s substitute Federico Chiesa restored their lead in the 88th minute with an instinctive volley from Salah’s parried cross. Salah extinguished any faint hopes of an equaliser for the visitors in the additional minutes of the game. Racing on to a lofted clearance from Wataru Endo, he cut in on his right foot and powered a low finish into the back of the net: different wing, same Salah, one outcome. The winger paid tribute to his deceased teammate, Diogo Jota, with his celebration as emotions spiralled out at Anfield.
Mohamed Salah extended his record of opening Matchday goals in the Premier League, becoming the first player to score 10 goals in England’s top flight on the opening matchday. He has recorded a goal involvement in all nine Matchday 1 matches, only failing to find the back of the net once. A Mo Salah goal on opening match days – Football heritage!
KUDUS DAZZLES AND LEADS SPURS TO OPENING DAY VICTORY
New signing Mohammed Kudus pulled the strings for Tottenham Hotspur as they cruised to a 3-0 victory over newly promoted Burnley at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in Thomas Frank’s first league game.
Tottenham got off to an entertaining start as Richarlison applied a sumptuous finish on the half volley to Kudus’ cross in the 10th minute of the game. His goal was the difference between the two sides at the break. Kudus was the orchestrator again as Spurs doubled their lead on the stroke of the hour mark. Kudus was a constant threat down the right, and Burnley struggled to contain him.
The Ghanaian winger left an opposition player for dead and teased an inviting cross into the box. With the ball behind him, Richarlison did the unthinkable and unleashed a scissor-kick finish into the net. Incredible! The goal was an absolute work of art from the assist to the acrobatic finish. Kudus enjoyed his EPL debut in North London.
Pape Matar Sarr picked up from where he left off last season, providing the assist for Spurs’ third goal in the 66th minute. The Senegalese midfielder released an inch-perfect through ball to Brennan Johnson on the counterattack, and the Englishman did justice to the pass. Three goals, three points for Spurs! Kudus was substituted to a standing ovation in the 85th minute.
ETTA EYONG STARS AS GUEYE NETS THUNDERBOLT
Villareal CF got off to a winning start over newly-promoted La Liga side Real Oviedo with a comfortable 2-0 victory at the Estadio de la Cerámica.
Oviedo got off to a dream start when they were awarded a penalty. However, striker Salomón Rondón failed to find the back of the net from 18 yards out in the 14th minute, as the goalkeeper denied him superbly. Things went from bad to worse for them when Alberto Reina received his marching orders in the 27th minute.
Villareal capitalised quickly and Etta Eyong netted the opener in the 29th minute. The youngster reacted quickly to a loose clearance in the box and rose highest to prod the ball into the net. A memorable moment for the talented prodigy who registered 19 goals and six assists for Villarreal’s B team last season. The 21-year-old Cameroonian international notched his second top-flight goal for the Yellow Submarines.
The hosts doubled their lead in the 36th minute as Pape Gueye combined with Nicolas Pepe in devastating fashion. Following some dazzling footwork down the right wing, Pepe teased a pass to Gueye on the edge of the box, and the latter rifled a thunderous effort into the net—a bright start to the season for the Senegalese midfielder and his Ivorian teammate.
Both sides made a couple of second-half substitutions, but the scores remained unchanged at the full-time whistle.
UCHE’S MAN OF THE MATCH PERFORMANCE LEADS GETAFE TO WIN
Celta Vigo suffered a humbling defeat at home in their opening La Liga fixture against Getafe at the Balaídos, as they struggled to contain the brilliance of Christantus Uche.
The first half ended on a goalless note as neither side managed to find the breakthrough. The floodgates were opened after the restart, and Spanish striker Adrián Liso netted the opening goal for Getafe two minutes into the second half. Uche showed strength, speed, and agility as he outmuscled the opposition defender before cutting back to Liso for a simple finish.
Provider turned goalscorer as Uche grabbed his goal in the 72nd minute to confirm the three points for the visitors. He received a pass from Ismael Bekhoucha about 30 yards from goal in Celta Vigo’s half and did all the hard work. He left one defender flat-faced in a heap on the grass before skipping past the goalie brilliantly to fire the ball into an empty net. The 22-year-old Nigerian international is the first Getafe player to both score and assist in a LaLiga game since Christantus Uche himself against Real Sociedad in January 2025—the second to achieve this feat with the club on Matchday 1 of the competition, since 2005.
DOUMBIA NETS BRACE IN THRILLER AS MUKAU GETS OFF THE MARK
Stade Brestois and LOSC Lille shared the spoils equally at the Stade Francis-Le Blé, kicking off the new Ligue 1 season with a thrilling draw.
Lille got off to a perfect start. Olivier Giroud opened the scoring in the 11th minute, and Hákon Haraldsson doubled the the visitors’ lead in the 26th minute. Undeterred and unwilling to give up without a fight, Brest midfielder Kamory Doumbia took the fight to Lille and sparked the comeback for the hosts in the 34th minute. The 22-year-old midfielder forced the ball into the net following a scramble in the the box to halve the deficit. The visitors took the lead into the break.
Brest came out firing on all cylinders and leveled proceedings through Doumbia again in the 51st minute. Receiving a pass from Mama Baldé on the edge of the box, he took a touch and hammered the ball into the net, leaving the goalie rooted to the spot in awe. The Malian international has started the season on a strong note and is back to his best.
The game was end-to-end, and Lille surged ahead through Ngal’ayel Mukau in the 66th minute. Nathan Ngoy nodded a corner into his path, and Mukau reacted quickly to control it with his chest before prodding it into the net from close range. Your move, Brest! It was a timely occasion for the 20-year-old Congolese midfielder to net his maiden Ligue 1 goal. Brest drew level once more through Julien Le Cardinal in the 75th minute, and the game ended on level terms. A satisfying end to an entertaining match!
SINAYOKO’S LONE GOAL MAKES THE DIFFERENCE
Image source: AJA on X
Lassine Sinayoko notched the winner as AJ Auxerre clinched an opening matchday victory against Ligue 1 newcomers FC Lorient at the Stade de l’Abbé Deschamps. The clash was billed as a showdown between the 2023/2024 & 2024/2025 Ligue 2 Champions.
Goalscoring chances were few and far between in the first half, and the evenly-contested opening half ended on a goalless note. Malian Striker Lassine Sinayoko was Auxerre’s hero as he bagged the match-winner in the 53rd minute with an unstoppable thunderbolt. Ibrahim Osman released a quick pass to Sinayoko on the edge of Lorient’s 18-yard box, and he worked his magic, creating a wonder out of nothing. He rifled a laser-powered rocket into the top corner, leaving the goalkeeper helpless. The 25-year-old is up and running, continuing his stellar form from the previous season. On-loan Ghanaian winger Osman notched an assist on his Ligue 1 debut, kicking off the new season in style.
Auxerre were penalized in the 67th minute following a VAR review, but Josué Casimir failed to convert the spotkick, rattling the crossbar with his effort. Despite a flurry of attacks in the closing minutes, Auxerre’s defence stood resolutely and nullified all their chances.
Sinayoko’s future remains uncertain. Nice are hot in their pursuit, and he could depart Auxerre before the transfer window slams shut.
