It might be a new year, but the likes of Salah and Mbuemo are still up to their old tricks. Read up on the latest news on African footballers on our weekly football recap.
MBEUMO WRECKS HAVOC ON THE SAINTS
The Bees took on the Saints in their first game of the new year at the Saint Mary’s Stadium, aiming to secure their first away win in ten league games.
The visitors got off to a perfect start as Kevin Schade opened the scoring for the visitors in the 6th minute, his early goal was the difference between both sides at the break.
Brentford came out flying after the restart, and Sepp Van Der Berg thought he had doubled the lead, but the goal was ruled out by VAR in the 54th minute.
Brentford’s lethal combo combined to double their lead in the 62nd minute. Yoane Wissa laid off the ball for Bryan Mbeumo, and the latter thundered it into the net.
Mbeumo extended their lead further in the 69th minute from the penalty spot after Van Der Berg wes fouled in the area with a coolly taken penalty. The Cameroonian winger has now scored thirteen league goals this season.
Mbeumo turned provider for Keane Lewis-Potter in the 92nd minute as Brentford ran rampant on the South Coast.
Wissa finally got his goal in the closing minutes, capitalizing perfectly on a defensive howler. He ran at the goalie purposefully and applied a beautiful finish for his tenth league goal of the season.
The Congolese forward has now become Brentford’s joint-top scorer in Premier League history. Wissa and Mbeumo are the first duo to record double figures in league goals in the English top flight this season. They’ve certainly replaced Ivan Toney excellently.
The Bees secured their first away league win in resounding fashion.
SALAH AND DIALLO STRIKE IN STALEMATE
The North-West Derby is one of the most anticipated fixtures in England’s top flight and the latest edition didn’t disappoint as both sides faced off at Anfield.
Surprisingly, the first half ended goalless as both sides failed to find a breakthrough. The tie came alive in the second half. The halftime team talk worked wonders. Lisandro Martinez gave the visitors a surprise lead in the 52nd minute with a thunderous finish. Cody Gakpo equalised for the hosts seven minutes later with a sublime goal.
Matthijs De Ligt was penalised for handling the ball in the area, and Mo Salah stepped up for the hosts. The Egyptian winger made no mistakes from the spot in the 70th minute. Despite diving in the right direction, Andre Onana was unable to keep it out.
United had the last laugh as Amad Diallo grabbed an equaliser in the 80th minute, burying Alejandro Garnarcho’s cutback into the back of the net. The Ivorian winger came up clutch for United once again in another crucial match.
BOAKYE NETS BRACE FOR LES VERTS
Ghanaian midfielder Augustine Boakye was the star of the show as Saint Etienne played host to Stade De Reims at the Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium. The match marked the start of Eirik Horneland’s reign as the new head coach of Les Verts.
The hosts were dominant in the first half and should have taken the lead, but they lacked a finishing touch. Keito Nakamura opened the scoring for Reims in the closing minutes of the game against the run of play.
Boakye netted an equaliser for the hosts five minutes into the second half. He found himself on the end of Mickael Nade’s cross and did enough to guide the ball into the net. Game on! A perfect occasion to net his maiden goal in the French top flight.
The midfielder was at his clinical best as he grabbed his brace seven minutes later. He found himself free in acres of space following a quick counter attack. Receiving a pass from Lucas Stassin, he cut in onto his right foot and applied a curling finish to give the hosts the lead for the first time in the match.
Boakye was substituted in the 74th minute for Igor Miladinović and Stassin sealed the win in the 80th minute with a beautifully taken goal.
DIARRA NETS TO LEAD STRASBOURG TO VICTORY
RC Strasbourg took on AJ Auxerre at the Stade de la Meinau, the visitors aiming to improve their miserable away run.
Hamed Traorè opened the scoring for the visitors as they took a surprise lead in the 14th minute. The Strasbourg defender failed to deal with Ki Jana Hoever’s cross properly, and Trore capitalized on it in devastating fashion. It was the Ivorian’s seventh goal in Ligue 1. He has settled down comfortably in the French top flight.
As it seemed Auxerre was heading for a rare away league win, Habib Diarra smashed the hopes of the visitors in the additional minutes of the first half. After he was brought down in the box, he showed composure to bury a penalty into the net, giving the goalie no chance.
The young Senegalese midfielder has now surpassed his goal tally from previous seasons in just 15 league appearances. The second half goals of Félix Lemaréchal and Emanuel Emegha helped Strasbourg secure the three points.
IGAMANE TREBLE NOT ENOUGH RANGERS
Hamza Igamane’s heroics were not enough as Rangers visited Hibernian FC at Easter Road in their Scottish Premiership fixture.
Igamane opened the scoring in the 4th minute, connecting perfectly and applying a simple finish to Ianis Hagi’s cutback.
The Moroccan forward doubled the lead in the 19th minute, rising highest to turn Nedim Bajrami’s cross into the net. His bullet header proved too much for the goalie to handle. The visiting fanbase erupted in ecstasy as it seemed the three points were all but confirmed at that point.
Their joy was short-lived as Martin Boyle halved the deficit for the hosts in the 32nd minute, turning Bushiri’s well-cushioned pass into the net. Afterward, Boyle netted the equaliser for the hosts in the 61st minute from the penalty spot to dampen the spirits of the visitors. The visitors made a couple of substitutions to swing the match in their favour, and it paid off as Igamane restored their lead in the 74th minute, applying the finishing touch to a well-worked team move. The Moroccan forward pounced on Vaclav Cerny’s cross and turned into the net at the far post. Hattrick hero!
The match was far from over as Congolese centre-back Rocky Bushiri provided a late twist. Bushiri netted an equaliser for hosts in the 83rd minute, rising highest to turn the ball home from a corner kick. A satisfying ender to an entertaining fixture.
