Lamine Camara put on a majestic display, Alex Iwobi’s genius stunned spectators, Sulemana fired Atalanta to victory, Etta Eyong’s stellar display, and Idrissa Gueye’s consolation goal. We bring you all the latest across Europe on the latest weekly football recap.
IDRISSA GUEYE NETS CONSOLATION GOAL IN DERBY DAY LOSS
Idrissa Gueye’s goal was insufficient as Mohamed Salah led Liverpool to a 2-1 victory over city rivals Everton in the Merseyside derby at Anfield.
Liverpool got off to a perfect start as Ryan Gravenberch latched onto Mohamed Salah’s cross and applied an artistic finish, capping off a well-synchronised team move in the 10th minute. Mo Salah should have grabbed his goal a few minutes later, but he sent his shot blazing narrowly over the crossbar. Liverpool didn’t take too long to double their lead as Hugo Ekitike clinically combined with Ryan Gravenberch in the 29th minute. Liverpool took a 2-0 lead into the break.
Everton halved the deficit in the 58th minute as Senegalese teammates Idrissa Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye combined to stun Anfield into silence briefly. Gueye started off and finished the move. The Senegalese midfielder released a pass down the left flank to Jack Grealish and sprinted into the box. Subsequently, Grealish released a cross into the path of Ndiaye, and the latter cushioned the ball into the path of Gueye with a deft touch. Gueye applied a thunderous finish, striking the ball into the top left corner to silence the Anfield faithful. Idrissa Gueye’s first goal of the Premier League season and Ndiaye’s first assist! Made and finished in Senegal!
Neither side managed to add to their goal tallies, and Liverpool held on for the three points and its fifth consecutive league victory, extending their perfect start to the new season.
IWOBI’S MAGIC LIFTS FULHAM TO DERBY DAY VICTORY
Alex Iwobi’s magical display powered Fulham to a comfortable 3-1 victory over Brentford in the West London derby at Craven Cottage.
The game got off to an intense start, and Brentford snatched the opener in the 20th minute as Mikkel Damsgaard capitalized on a misplaced pass by Fulham attacker Joshua King.
It didn’t take long for Fulham to grab the equalizer as Alex Iwobi grabbed a timely equaliser in the 38th minute of the game. Alex Iwobi showed predatory instincts as he reacted quickly to a poor clearance by Brentford that ricocheted over Rodrigo Muniz in their six-yard area, rifling the ball into the net on the half volley. Lift off for the home side!
Iwobi was the architect as Fulham grabbed the lead two minutes after drawing level, his genius providing the inspiration they needed to turn the tide of the match. Iwobi picked out Harry Wilson with a magical, inch-perfect defence-splitting pass from the left flank, and the Welsh winger applied a first-time finish into the bottom left corner to turn the tide of the match in Fulham’s favour. Following their remarkable turnaround, Fulham took their slender lead into the break.
The home side came out firing on all cylinders and extended their lead five minutes after the restart. Ryan Sessegnon teased a cross into Brentford’s 18-yard box, and Ethan Pinnock unluckily prodded the ball into his own net! A brilliant finish, but the wrong net.
Brentford could not find their way back into the match and slumped to another defeat at the hands of their fierce rivals. Consecutive league victories for Fulham, while Brentford extended their winless run to five games.
CAMARA STARS AS ILENIKHENA AND DIALLO NET IN THRILLER
Third-placed AS Monaco clinched a resounding victory over bottom-place FC Metz in their thrilling Ligue 1 fixture at the Stade Louis II.
Senegalese forward Habib Diallo kick-started the goal fest, netting the opening goal in the thirteenth minute.
Cheikh Sabaly picked the ball on the edge of Metz’s half, shrugged off two AS Monaco players, and sprinted goalwards at breakneck speed before releasing a perfectly-weighted pass to Diallo. Diallo timed his run to perfection, and one-on-one with the goalkeeper, he applied a superb finish. Two Senegalese teammates combine to breathe life into the match, a slice of Senegalese brilliance! Diallo is off the mark in his second stint with Metz, having rejoined his boyhood club permanently in the summer.
Monaco leveled proceedings through Mika Biereth in the 28th minute, and there was nothing to separate the sides at the break.
Ansu Fati was introduced at the break to swing the match’s balance in Monaco’s favour, and he wasted no time in making his impact felt, netting his maiden Ligue 1 goal 38 seconds into his debut. Lamine Camara flashed a low ball across the face of the goal, and Fati turned the ball into the net to cap off a well-worked team move. Game on! The game was end-to-end, and Captain Gauthier Hein restored parity for Metz in the 67th minute after they were awarded a penalty.
With the score level, both coaches made substitutions to wrestle control from the hands of the other, and Monaco eventually found a breakthrough.
The hosts left it late and regained their lead through Ansu Fati in the 83rd minute. Senegalese midfielder Krépin Diatta teased an inswinging delivery into the box, and Fati rose highest to bury the ball into the net with a pinpoint header.
Metz’s luck worsened as Ivorian international Koffi Kouao put the ball into his net in the 86th minute, flicking Camara’s corner cross over his goalkeeper into the net. It was game over for Metz at that point!
Second-half substitutes George Ilenikhena and Stanis Idumbo combined in the additional minutes of stoppage time to extend Monaco’s lead further, hammering the final nail in Metz’s coffin. Ilenikhena slammed the ball into the net following an incisive pass from Idumbo. Another appearance of the bench, another goal. The 19-year-old Nigerian striker has now netted in consecutive Ligue 1 matches.
BILAL EL KHANNOUSS GETS OFF THE MARK FOR STUTTGART
Bilal El Khannouss’ goal helped VfB Stuttgart to a comfortable victory over FC St. Pauli at the MHPArena in Matchday 4 of the Bundesliga. Angelo Stiller wasted a golden opportunity to grab the opener for Stuttgart in the 24th minute as the goalkeeper denied him expertly, and he failed to convert from 12 yards.
Ermedin Demirović made amends for his teammates’ earlier miss and opened the scoring in the 43rd minute with a sensational solo effort. His goal was the difference between the sides at the break.
Goalscorer became the provider as Demirovic teed up the summer acquisition Bilal El Khannouss to double the hosts’ lead in the 50th minute. Stiller laid the ball off to El Khannouss, and the Moroccan smashed a first-time finish into the back of the net to open his goalscoring account in the Bundesliga. A perfect occasion for the 21-year-old Moroccan International to grab his first goal for VfB Stuttgart since joining them from Leicester in the summer transfer window.
Despite a flurry of second-half substitutions, FC St. Pauli could not swing the match in their favour as they slumped to their first defeat of the season—two goals for Stuttgart as they returned to winning ways at home.
KAMALDEEN SULEMANA SPARKLES AS LOOKMAN RETURNS
Kamaldeen Sulemana’s stellar display helped Atalanta BC win 3-0 away against Torino at the Olimpico di Torino.
Nikola Krstovic grabbed the opener for Atalanta on the stroke of the half-hour mark to set the tone for a first-half rout. Kamaldeen Sulemana got in on the act 4 minutes after the opening goal to double Atalanta’s lead. Davide Zappacosta recycled a rebound shot to Sulemana, and the Ghanaian winger quickly dispatched the ball into the net with relative ease. The goal was Sulemana’s first since joining Southampton FC in the summer. Goalscorer turned provider as Sulemana set up Nikola Krstovic for a simple tap-in with a cross across the face of the goal to extend Atalanta’s lead further in the 38th minute. The visitors took a three-nil lead into the break.
Torino were awarded a lifeline in the 72nd minute, but former Atalanta man Duván Zapata failed to convert the spot kick and was kept out brilliantly by Atalanta’s goalie.
African Player of the Year Ademola Lookman returned to the team in the game’s closing minutes as Atalanta stormed to the three points. Three goals, three points, and Atalanta recorded consecutive league victories for the first time this season.
EYONG AND KOYALIPOU NET IN ROUT
Etta Eyong and Goduine Koyalipou were among the goals as Levante UD saw off nine-man Girona FC away at the Montilivi. The newly-promoted Levante were winless going into the clash and strongly desired a win to get their season on the right track. The match got off to a lively start as Girona midfielder Axel Witsel was shown a red card on the stroke of the half-hour mark.
Levante capitalised on their numerical advantage, and Etta Eyong netted his second league goal for Levante and third league goal this season to give them the lead. With a mighty leap, Eyong connected perfectly with Jeremy Toljan’s cross and planted a bullet header into the net in the 43rd minute. Another game, another goal! The young striker showed aerial dominance beyond his age to silence the Montilivi. 6 goal involvements for the 21-year-old across 5 La Liga appearances.
Things went from bad to worse for Girona as centre back Vitor Reus was shown a straight red card immediately after the restart. Levante took advantage of Girona’s misfortune and netted their second goal through Carlos Álvarez’s free-kick goal in the 49th minute. The goals didn’t stop, and Eyong turned provider, setting up Iván Romero ten minutes past the hour mark, following a smart interchange of passes between the two attackers. What an excellent start to life Eyong is having in a Levante shirt.
On-loan Central African Republic winger Goduine Koyalipou extended the home side’s lead in the additional minutes of stoppage time, pouncing quickly on a loose rebound to grab his goal. Introduced as a replacement for Eyong in the 72nd minute, Goduine Koyalipou justified his introduction and is now off the mark for his new club.
