Continent of Champions: Weekly Football Recap

More Mo Salah magic, Ademola Lookman keeps his hot street going, and Ismaila Sarr gets off the mark for his club. Join us as we capture the best performances on this weekly football recap.

THE UNRIVALLED KING

Aiming to capitalise fully on Manchester City’s loss to Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool FC took on Southampton FC at the Saint Mary’s Stadium in a top-of-the-table versus bottom-of-the-table clash. 

Egyptian winger Mo Salah has been sensational throughout the season and continued his impressive form against the Saints. 

The Reds opened the scoring on the stroke of the half-hour mark as Dominik Szoboszlai capitalised on a defensive howler by the Saints. The Saints got back on level terms through a penalty in the 42nd minute as Adam Armstrong put the rebound into the net after saving his initial effort. The hosts took the lead eleven minutes after the restart through Mateus Fernandes, catching Liverpool out cold on the break. 

A goal down, and it seemed Liverpool’s incredible away record was coming to an end. However, Mo Salah had other ideas. The Egyptian winger applied a deft touch to control Ryan Gravenberch’s beautifully weighted pass and flick the ball into the net in the 65th minute. An absolute work of art, a peach of a goal!

Salah was involved once again as a Soton player was penalised for handling the former’s cross in the 18-yard box. The winger stepped up to bury the penalty and give his side the lead in the 83rd minute, sending them eight points clear at the top of the league. Comeback complete! 

Five minutes later, he nearly scored his hat trick, but the upright painfully denied him. Liverpool’s Egyptian King has now recorded ten goals and six assists in twelve appearances. 

SARR STARS IN ENTERTAINING DRAW

Aston Villa played host to Crystal Palace at Villa Park on Saturday. The visitors have notably had an abysmal start to the season. The hosts were looking to snap their two-game losing streak. 

Senegalese winger Ismaila Sarr opened the scoring in the 4th minute. Slipped through on goal by Jean-Phillipe Mateta, he raced forward with determination, fended off the challenge of the opposing defender, and finished with aplomb to give the visitors the lead—his first league goal in Palace’s colours. 

The hosts drew level through Ollie Watkins in the 36th minute, displaying their unwillingness to go down without a fight. In the closing minutes of the first half, Villa were awarded a penalty, Youri Tielemans stepped up to take it and he was denied by Dean Henderson. His miss was punished devastatingly as Palace went up on the other end and grabbed the lead through a quick break. Justin Devenny applied a well-placed finish to Sarr’s pass to restore his side’s lead.

Aston Villa made a couple of substitutions to swing the match in their favour, and they soon found a lifeline as Ross Barkley put them on level terms with a well-placed header. The spoils were shared as there was nothing to separate both sides at the full-time whistle. 

LOOKMAN STRIKES AGAIN

Europa League champions Atalanta BC took on Parma Calcio 1913 at the Ennio Tardini Stadium. Atalanta were aiming to extend their six-game winning run while the hosts were looking to secure a second consecutive league victory. 

The visitors got off to a perfect start as Mateo Retegui opened the scoring in the 4th minute with a beautiful header. Ademola Lookman doubled the lead shortly after, but his goal was ruled out. 

Atalanta doubled their lead in the 39th minute through midfielder Ederson Moraes, and they took a well-deserved lead into the break. 

The hosts weren’t going down without a fight as Matteo Cancellieri halved the deficit four minutes into the second half. However, Lookman extinguished any hopes of a comeback in the 75th minute, turning Juan Cuadrado’s deep cross into the net to restore their two-goal cushion. 

Lookman was substituted in the 82nd minute for Lazar Samardzic as Atalanta held on to secure the win.

Atalanta has now won seven consecutive league games and is top of the Serie A, recording their best start to a Serie A season in history.

MASINA NETS IN DRAW

Torino took on AC Monza at the Olimpico di Torino after three consecutive goalless league defeats.

Chances were few and far between in the first half. The Torino goalie denied the visitors more chances, and the match remained goalless at the break. 

The match came alive in the second half as Moroccan left-back Adam Masina grabbed a goal in the 59th minute with a towering header from Valentino Lazaro’s set-piece cross, his first Serie A goal in Torino colours. However, their joy turned into despair as the hosts grabbed an equaliser through Milan Duric four minutes later, converting from a Monza set piece. Despite a flurry of chances for Torino late on, Monza held on ultimately to secure a point. 

NYOM GOAL LEADS GETAFE TO WIN

Getafe CF played host to Real Valladolid at the Coliseum, aiming to put an end to their five-game winless run. Both sides remained deadlocked at the break. 

Getafe’s second-half substitutions seemingly made the difference as they finally broke the deadlock in the 70th minute, going ahead through substitute Alvaro Rodriguez. Allan Nyom teased the ball into Rodriguez’s path, and the youngster applied an emphatic finish, their first goal from open play this season. 

Cameroon international Nyom doubled the lead four minutes later. Following a poor clearance, the right-back reacted quickly in the box, took a touch, and lashed the ball into the net to grab his first goal of the season. 

His goal helped to all but confirm the three points for the hosts and snap their winless run. 

One goal, one assist, one clean sheet, and three points for the 36-year-old right back. A Man of the Match performance!

MOROCCAN STARLET’S LONE GOAL THE DIFFERENCE 

AS St-Ettiene got back to winning ways as they played host to Montpelier SC at the Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium. The visitors nearly took the lead two minutes into the match but were denied by superb goalkeeping by St-Etienne’s goalie. 

The first half, however, ended on a drab note as both sides rarely threatened. The visitors had a penalty shout ruled out, and both sides went into the break on level terms. 

Moroccan youth international Benjamin Bouchouari opened the scoring two minutes after the restart in stunning fashion. The midfielder applied a volleyed finish to a loose ball on the edge of the box, leaving the goalkeeper helpless to grab his first Ligue 1 goal for Les Verts. 

To their frustration, the visitors had another penalty overturned by VAR in the 56th minute. Benjamin Bouchouari’s goal would prove to be the difference between both sides as St-Etienne returned to winning ways.