African footballers were at their brilliant best as they fired their clubs to memorable victories with their jaw-dropping displays across Europe’s top five leagues. From Habib Diallo’s Kate winner to Ibrahim Maza’s stellar showing to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s goal to Bryan Mbeumo’s well-placed header and Ibrahim Sangare’s clutch goal, we bring you all the action in this weekly football recap.
HABIB DIALLO COMPLETES THE COMEBACK
Habib Diallo snatched a late victory for FC Metz in their Ligue 1 fixture against OGC Nice at the Stade Saint Symphorien.
OGC Nice took the lead through Mohamed-Ali Cho in the 35th minute, and his goal was the difference between the two sides at the break. Metz rallied themselves together at the break and turned the game around after the restart. Gauthier Hein slotted a penalty decisively for Metz in the 53rd minute to level the deficit.
As both sides chased the game and the three points, Habib Diallo rose to the occasion and handed Metz the three points on a silver platter in the 84th minute. Diallo chased down Jean-Philippe Gbamin’s crossfield pass and controlled it expertly before cutting in and slotting the ball calmly into the net to send the home fans into raptures of excitement. The 30-year-old Senegalese third goal of the season. A clutch goal!
His goal provided the winning factor as Metz completed a thrilling turnaround. Polarising outcomes for the two sides: a third consecutive league victory for Metz and consecutive league defeats for Nice.
AUBA STILL AGING LIKE FINE WINE
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang powered Olympique Marseille to a consecutive league victory as they clinched a resounding three-nil victory against Stade Brestois at the Stade Vélodrome.
Olympique Marseille surged into the lead from two set-piece situations, going ahead through Angel Gomes’ 25th-minute free-kick and Mason Greenwood’s 32nd-minute penalty. They took a comfortable two-nil lead into the break. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang put the game beyond doubt in the 82nd minute, smashing home a third for OM. Matt O’Riley teased a cutback to an unmarked Auba in Nice’s 18-yard box following a devastating attacking team move, and the Gabonese striker swiftly dispatched the ball into the net. After toiling all game long, he finally had his well-deserved goal.
Six goal involvements across 10 Ligue 1 appearances for Auba. He is aging like fine wine!
A strong performance and a vital win as Marseille remain tight on Paris Saint-Germain’s heels in the scintillating Ligue 1 title race.
SANGARE LEADS THE COMEBACK
Ibrahim Sangare led Nottingham Forest to a thrilling fightback against Leeds United in their Premier League fixture at the City Ground.
Leeds United grabbed the lead through Lukas Nmecha in the 13th minute against the run of play, stunning City Ground into silence. Ivorian midfielder Ibrahim Sangare was having none of it and spearheaded Nottingham Forest’s comeback, netting a well-timed equaliser on the stroke of the quarter-hour mark. Sangare reacted superbly to the rebound from Callum Hudson-Odoi’s saved cross and side-footed the ball into the net with aplomb. Game on! The goal was the 27-year-old midfielder’s first league goal of the season for Forest. The two sides went into the break on level terms.
A Morgan Gibbs-White header and an Elliot Anderson penalty in the second half ultimately handed Nottingham Forest the three points. Forest remains in the relegation zone and has its work cut out for it.
RED-HOT BRYAN MBEUMO CANNOT STOP SCORING
Bryan Mbeumo’s header helped Manchester United clinch a vital draw in their Premier League fixture against Tottenham Hotspur at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Bryan Mbeumo opened the scoring for United in the 32nd minute as Man United’s left-footed African magicians combined to devastating effect, a momentary brilliance to wrestle control from Tottenham. Amad Diallo teased a pinpoint cross into the box and Bryan Mbeumo glanced a header into the net. The 5’9 Mbeumo is doing a striker’s job with clinical precision. The goal was the Premier League Player of the Month for October’s fifth league goal for United this season, and gave The Red Devils cruise control going into the break. The Cameroonian winger is adapting to life in United’s colours nicely and is fast becoming the difference maker for the Mancunians.
A late drama ensued as Mathys Tel netted an equaliser for Tottenham in the 84th minute and Richarlison handed Spurs the lead in the 91st minute, but a 96th-minute header from Matthijs De Ligt saw both sides take an equal share of the spoils. A frantic end to a high-stakes fixture. Consecutive draws for United, who need to find their winning touch after the international break.
IBRAHIM MAZA & EDMOND TAPSOBA STAR IN ROUT
Maza fired Bayer Leverkusen to an emphatic 6-0 victory against FC Heidenheim at the BayArena.
Patrick Schick got Leverkusen to a perfect start in the second minute, and Jonas Hofmann doubled their lead in the 16th minute, burying a header into the net from
Burkinabé defender Edmond Tapsoba’s cross. Quick-fire goals by Schick and Ernest Poku extended Bayer Leverkusen’s lead further, and they were four goals up by the 27th minute.
Algerian teenage sensation Ibrahim Maza got in on the act in the additional minutes of stoppage time, prodding Aleix Garcia’s inswinging cross into the back of the net. The goal was Maza’s maiden Bundesliga goal for Leverkusen. The 19-year-old Algerian is off the mark! Endless despair for Heidenheim as Leverkusen took a commanding lead into the break. A molehill to climb.
Edmond Tapsoba was creating chances for fun and grabbed his second assist after the restart, setting up Ibrahim Maza in the 53rd minute of the game. Receiving a pass from Tapsoba about 25 yards from goal, Maza skipped past one opposition player brilliantly, charged goalwards, and thumped the ball beyond the goalkeeper. Simply brilliant! A memorable performance for Leverkusen as they returned to winning ways in style and climbed to fifth on the Bundesliga table.
