African stars continue to excel across the global football leagues. Read about the latest news on our weekly football recap.
AMAD DIALLO STRIKES IN UNITED LOSS
Ivorian winger Amad Diallo scored Manchester United’s lone goal in their 2-1 loss to Brighton FC on Saturday. It was his second league start of the season, and he marked it with his first goal. Former Manchester United man Danny Welbeck opened the scoring for the home side in the 32nd minute. Two minutes later, Diallo nearly set up Marcus Rashford for an equalizer with a brilliant cross, but Rashford was adjudged to have strayed offside. Brighton went into the break with the lead.
A sublime pass by Noussair Mazraoui allowed Diallo to run at goal. He cut in on his left foot beyond the fullback, and his shot was deflected into the net on the hour mark. Second start of the season, first goal. Mazraoui’s assist for Amad Diallo marked the first occasion that two African players combined to score a Premier League goal for Manchester United.
Diallo’s countryman Simon Adingra teed up João Pedro in the dying minutes of the match to snatch three points for the home side at the Amex Stadium. Another loss for the Red Devils against the Seagulls. Amad Diallo is staking a claim for the starting berth on the right wing and is gradually cementing it.
MONACO’S AFRICAN STARS PILE ON LYON’S MISERY
Olympique Lyonnais suffered a second consecutive league loss in their Ligue 1 match against AS Monaco at the Groupama Stadium. Chances were few and far between for both sides in the first half. Japanese international Takumi Minamino had the best chance of the half, but Lyon’s goalkeeper did well to tip it onto the upright. The away side came alive in the second half as Moroccan sensation Eliesse Ben Seghir forced a fine save from Lyon’s goalkeeper. The clearance was recovered by Monaco, and they attacked their opposition again.
The Moroccan exchanged passes with Maghnes Akliouche in the 64th minute, took two touches to set the ball up, and fired it into the back of the net, leaving the goalkeeper with no chance. AS Monaco doubled their lead in the 80th minute, carving their opponents open with a nice string of passes, and Senegalese midfielder Lamine Camara was on hand to fire the ball into the net from close range to grab his first goal for the French side.
The match ended on a terrible note for him as the 2023 African Young Player of the Year received his marching orders for a rash tackle on Mama Baldé. It was his second yellow card, and subsequently, a red card. Nonetheless, it was a job well done for the midfielder.
ALEX IWOBI SNATCHES THE VICTORY
Fulham faced off against newly promoted Leicester City in their opening Premier League home match at Craven Cottage. New signing Emile Smith Rowe opened the scoring for Fulham in the 18th minute, latching onto Adama Traoré’s pass and applying a sublime finish to grab his first goal for the club. Fulham were the dominant side for most of the game, but Leicester displayed a clinical edge and grabbed the equalizer in the 38th minute. Wout Faes rose highest in Fulham’s box to prod the ball home from Facundo Buonanotte’s corner. A defensive howler by goalscorer Faes gave Fulham a golden opportunity, but it was bundled over by Rodrigo Muniz.
Alex Iwobi turned out to be the hero for Fulham as a quick passage of play allowed Antonee Robinson to release the Nigerian with a first-time pass. Alex Iwobi raced on with the ball and shot into the net. The goalkeeper made contact, but it wasn’t enough to deny the Nigerian, who wheeled away to celebrate in ecstasy. Three points in the bag!
ACHRAF HAKIMI SCORES IN MONTPELLIER ROUT
Paris Saint-Germain faced off against Montpellier in their first league game at the Parc des Princes this season. Bradley Barcola combined with João Neves to grab an early opener for PSG in the 4th minute. Marco Asensio also combined with the Portuguese afterward to double the lead. Les Parisiens went into the break with a 2-0 lead. Barcola grabbed his second seven minutes after the restart to extend the lead to 3-0.
Moroccan fullback Achraf Hakimi got in on the act five minutes later, connecting well with Nuno Mendes’s cross and side-footing the ball into the net on the volley. From one fullback to another—a textbook combo.
Ousmane Dembélé assisted Warren Zaire-Emery’s stunning finish. The youngster put the ball through the legs of the defender and slotted it calmly into the net. Hakimi turned provider for PSG’s sixth and final goal, laying up the ball into the path of substitute Lee Kang-in for the South Korean’s stunner from outside the box in the 82nd minute.
An 11th straight win for PSG against Montpellier and a perfect day at the office for Hakimi: one goal, one assist, and a clean sheet in an impressive rout.
JACKSON BACK AMONG THE GOALS
Chelsea were looking to put their opening matchday loss behind them as they faced off against Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Molineux Stadium. Nicolas Jackson set Chelsea on their way to a 6-2 rout of the home side with an early opener. The striker, unmarked at the back post, connected perfectly with the ball and guided it into the net after Cole Palmer’s corner was flicked into his path for his first goal of the season. Wolves thought they had grabbed an equalizer, but Matheus Cunha’s 16th-minute goal was ruled out for offside. They subsequently grabbed their deserved equalizer through Cunha in the 27th minute.
The Blues wasted no time in restoring their lead, with Jackson turning provider on this occasion. The Senegalese attacker flicked the ball into the path of Cole Palmer, who went for the spectacular and lobbed the ball over the goalkeeper from outside the box in the 45th minute. Wolves weren’t to be outdone as Strand Larsen equalized for them just before the break, bringing an entertaining first half to a close. It was all Chelsea after the break as a second-half hat trick by Noni Madueke and a second debut goal by João Felix condemned the home side to a 6-2 loss.
Jackson’s controversial post-match comments directed at Mikel John Obi following his match heroics have garnered attention.
IMPRESSIVE DIAZ CAMEO
Madrid faced off against Real Valladolid in their second game of the season in search of their first league win. On a night when Kylian Mbappé made his Santiago Bernabéu debut, substitute Brahim Díaz helped fellow substitute Endrick steal the headlines. Chances were few and far between in the opening half for the home side. Fede Valverde opened the scoring in the 55th minute with a well-struck free kick. Madrid had a couple of chances to add to their lead, but the Valladolid defense was resolute and kept them out. Moroccan midfielder Brahim Díaz was introduced in the 69th minute, coming on in place of Arda Güler.
Los Blancos were relentless and kept probing unsuccessfully until Díaz latched onto Éder Militão’s brilliant ball over the top of the defense and flicked it calmly beyond the onrushing goalkeeper into the net to double the home side’s lead in the 88th minute. He turned provider eight minutes later, teeing up teenage sensation Endrick in the closing minutes for the youngster’s debut goal for Los Blancos. The youngster isn’t forgetting that moment in a hurry! A perfect day at the office for Díaz.
AMINE HARIT AND YAYA FOFANA STRIKE IN LIGUE 1 STALEMATE
We witnessed even more brilliance by Ligue 1’s African stars this weekend. Olympique Marseille took on Reims in their opening home game of the season at the Stade Vélodrome. Pierre-Emile Højbjerg had the first chance for the visitors, unleashing a stinging shot that was palmed away by the opposing goalkeeper. Amine Harit grabbed the opening goal for Marseille, turning Quentin Merlin’s cross into the back of the net calmly in the 25th minute.
The Moroccan subsequently paid tribute to teammate Faris Moumbagna, who ruptured his ACL last week, in a show of class. This marks Harit’s best start to a Ligue 1 season.
Marseille should have doubled their lead before the break, but Elye Wahi’s finishing woes left them frustrated. Marseille were made to pay for their wastefulness in front of goal as Sergio Akieme fired an unstoppable pile driver to give his side the equalizer after the break. Reims pressed on and grabbed the lead through Yaya Fofana four minutes after the equalizer. The Ivorian youngster’s pace and trickery were too much for the Marseille players to handle as he left them dead in his wake to score a scintillating solo goal. The away side was in dreamland!
There was nothing to separate both sides at the final whistle, leaving them with a point apiece.