Continent of Champions: Weekly Football Recap

Amad Diallo, Randy Nteka, and Haj Mohamed star for their clubs on this episode of our weekly football recap. Read up on the best performances from African footballers.

DIALLO SPARKLES FOR UNITED

Manchester United put on a clinical display as they took on Everton FC in Ruben Amorim’s first league game at Old Trafford. 

The home side opened the scoring through Marcus Rashford’s deflected shot in the 34th minute. They doubled their lead seven minutes later through Joshua Zirkzee and took a much-desired lead into the break. 

Any hopes of a comeback were squashed after the restart as Marcus Rashford combined with Amad Diallo to extend United’s lead. A quick passage of play immediately after the restart found Amad with the ball in acres of space in Everton’s half. The Ivorian winger teased a pass into Rashford’s path, and the latter lashed it into the net beyond Jordan Pickford. 

Diallo was a menace to the Evertonians throughout the match, and he combined with Zirkzee in the 64th minute to condemn the visitors to a resounding loss.

Dispossessing James Tarkowski, he ran purposefully at the Everton defense and unselfishly squared the ball into Zirkzee’s path for the latter’s brace. 

It was a standout performance from the young Amad, and if he keeps up his excellent performances, he could become a mainstay in Amorim’s United side. 

RANDY NTEKA GOAL NOT ENOUGH 

13th-placed La-Liga side Rayo Vallecano took on 6th-placed Athletic Club at the Estadio de Vallecas, aiming to snap a two-game losing streak. 

The home side got off to the perfect start as Angolan forward Randy Nteka opened the scoring in the 14th minute, sending the home fans into raptures. Reacting quickly to a loose ball in the box and timing his run to perfection, he flicked the ball over the goalie’s head. A beautiful chip! It was a timely occasion for the Angolan to open his goalscoring account in La Liga this season. 

His goal was the difference between both sides as the home side went into the break with the lead. Unfortunately, a nine-minute second-half brace from Athletic substitute Oihan Sancet turned the match on its head. Nteka was substituted in the 65th minute. A couple of substitutions failed to swing the match in Vallecano’s favour as they slumped to a third consecutive league defeat. 

HAJ MOHAMED STEALS THE SHOW 

SS Lazio arrived at the Ennio Tardini stadium in fine form, on a five-game winning run in Serie A to take on Parma Calcio 1913, who were looking to offer a strong response and bounce back from their defeat against Atalanta.

Lazio got off to a dream start. However, their goal was ruled out in the third minute for a foul in the build-up following a VAR review. Afterward, the hosts capitalised on a defensive howler by the visitors, grabbing the lead through Dennis Man in the sixth minute. Lazio’s luck worsened before the break as they had a penalty call overturned following another VAR review. They couldn’t catch a break! 

Both sides made a number of substitutions at the start of the second half, and the hosts’ substitutions paid off in no time. Congolese forward Gabriel Charpentier combined with Tunisian youngster Anas Haj Mohamed to devastating effect to give the hosts a two-goal cushion. Mohamed connected superbly with substitute Charpentier’s pass and hit a 25-yard unstoppable curler into the back of the net from about 25 yards out in the 53rd minute. 

It was an unforgettable moment for the youngster as he grabbed his maiden Serie A goal, marking his inclusion in the starting lineup memorably. He has become the second youngest non-Italian player to register a goal for Parma, aged 19 years and 246 days, behind Dejan Kulusevski at 19 years and 158 days. The youngster was substituted in the 70th minute. 

Valentín Castellanos grabbed a consolation goal for the visitors in the 80th minute, benefiting from calamitous defending by the visitors. All hopes of a comeback were extinguished as Charpentier teed up Enrico Del Prato to restore the home side’s two-goal cushion as Parma’s young side delivered the goods. 

MARMOUSH STARS IN ROUT

Eintracht Frankfurt took on FC Heidenheim away from home at the Voith-Arena. They got off to a flying start as Egyptian winger Omar Marmoush opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, turning Nathaniel Brown’s pass into the net after some fine work by the latter. His goal was the difference between both sides at the break. 

The visitors really came alive after the restart as Farès Chaïbi doubled their lead four minutes into the second half with a well-placed finish from the edge of the box, the Algerian midfielder’s first Bundesliga goal of the season. 

The same combination that led to the first goal produced the third as Marmoush grabbed his brace in the 58th minute. Receiving a pass from Brown, he skillfully evaded the opposing player’s challenge, ran at the opposing goal, and applied a beautiful finish into the far post. 

The winger nearly grabbed his hat trick in the 67th minute, but his shot fizzled away from goal. All his subsequent attempts to grab a third fell short. 

73rd-minute substitute Hugo Ekitike wrapped up proceedings in the game’s closing minutes with a goal of his own, condemning the hosts to a fourth consecutive league loss. Frankfurt sits second in the Bundesliga rankings, three points ahead of third-placed Bayer Leverkusen and four points behind leaders Bayern Munich.

AMOURA NETS BRACE AS WOLFSBURG STUN RB LEIPZIG 

RB Leipzig played host to VFL Wolfsburg at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, aiming to get back to winning ways in the Bundesliga.

The visitors had other ideas as they set the tone for their rout with an early opener four minutes into the match. Algerian striker Mohamed Amoura benefitted from a well-worked team move to tap in from close range. 

Portuguese forward Tiago Tomas doubled their lead in the next minute, his shot taking a wicked deflection on the way in to leave the home fans dumbfounded. 

Things went from bad to worse for the home side as Amoura grabbed his second of the game in the 16th minute. The visitors picked the home side apart bit by bit, and Amoura was on hand to turn the ball in at the far post using the legs of the goalkeeper. 

Joakim Maehle’s headed goal extended the visitors lead further in the 64th minute. Leipzig captain Willi Orban grabbed a consolation goal in the 82nd minute through a rare stroke of luck. 

Amoura was substituted for Salah Ozcan in the 85th minute, and substitute Kevin Behrens put the final nail in Leipzig’s coffin with a 91st-minute goal. 

HAKIMI NETS EARLY GOAL IN DRAW

Looking to bounce back from their midweek Champions League loss to Bayern Munich, Paris Saint Germain took on FC Nantes at the Parc des Princes. 

They grabbed the lead early on as Goncalo Ramos’ artistic flick to Nuno Mendes’ cross was turned into the net by Achraf Hakimi from close range in the second minute of the match. Despite a flurry of chances for the hosts afterward, the visitors held on firmly to deny them. 

French forward Matthis Abline equalised for the visitors in the 38th minute, turning PSG centre-back William Pacho inside out before applying a beautiful finish.

Despite enjoying large possession spells for most of the game, the hosts lacked a finishing touch, and both sides shared the spoils at the full-time whistle. 

Nantes is the happier side after bringing an end to their four-game losing run.