Premier League Champions Manchester City played host to Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium, aiming to recover from their humiliating defeat to Arsenal in their previous league match.
They got off to a much desired start as goalkeeper Ederson strayed outside his penalty spot and released an inch perfect pass into the path of Omar Marmoush. The Egyptian winger evaded Kieran Trippier as they both contested the ball and applied a beautiful lobbed finish over the onrushing goalie from the edge of the box in the 19th minute. A first of many in City’s colours. The Egyptian winger was at it once again five minutes later. Receiving a pass from Ilkay Gundogan in the 18 yard box, he cut in onto his right foot and unleashed the ball into the net, beating the goalie at his near post.
Marmoush was simply unstoppable as he netted his treble nine minutes later. The winger was on hand to turn Savinho’s cut back into the net, popping up unmarked in the box to apply a first timed finish. A hat trick within fourteen minutes of his first goal for The Cityzens.
It was all City in the first half as the Magpies struggled to create anything. Marmoush’s hattrick was the difference between both sides at the break.
The Egyptian winger was substituted for Jeremy Doku in the 76th minute. James McAtee extended the hosts’ lead late on with a fine volley. A good day at the office for Marmoush as he helped the Cityzens get back into the top four on the League table.
ILENIKHENA ENDS DROUGHT IN ROUT
AS Monaco played host to Ligue 1 strugglers FC Nangtes at the Stade Louis II, aiming to bounce back from their 4:1 defeat to Paris Saint Germain in their previous league outing. The visitors opened the scoring through Mathis Albine who applied a simple finish to Moses Simon’s pass. An 8th minute red card to Nantes Defender Nicolas Cozza meant everything went downhill for the visitors from that minute onward.
The visitors took some time in capitalizing on their numerical superiority to establish their dominance. They grabbed an equalizer through Mika Biereth in the 44th minute and Takumi Minamino gave them the lead in the next minute, turning in Lamine Cmamara’s perfectly weighted pass over the defence into the net. They took their lead into the break.
The floodgates were truly opened after the break. Moroccan starlet Eliesse Ben Seghir grabbed Monaco’s third goal four minutes into the second half from Minamino’s pass. Following a well worked team move, Minamino released the ball to Seghir in the 18 yard box and he hit it first time into the net with his left foot. His first goal in 2025!
Biereth netted his second in the 54th minute to extend their lead. With the game in the bag, Monaco’s coach made a trio of substitutions in the 61st minute and Nigerian starlet George Ilenikhena was introduced into the fray. Biereth completed his treble from the spot in the 64th minute, extending the hosts’ lead even further. Ilenikhena ended his goal drought in the 81st minute, turning in Caio Henrique’s cross into the net.
The young striker showed experience above his years to start the move and dash into the box for the return cross, burying the cross into the net with a diving header. The Nigerian striker completed his brace in the 95th minute. Receiving a beautifully weighted pass over the top of the defence from Al-Musrati, ,he took one touch to control the ball and applied a left footed finish, marking his return from injury in style.
A resounding victory for the hosts as they strolled to a comfortable third consecutive win at home in Ligue 1 for the first time this season.
MINTEH DOWNS THE BLUES
Following their midweek FA Cup elimination at the hands of Brighton FC, Chelsea FC visited The Seagulls at Falmer Stadium to get some revenge in their Premier League fixture. However, things didn’t go as planned for The Blues as Kaoru Mitoma opened the scoring for the hosts in the 27th minute with a sensational solo effort.
The Blues thought they had grabbed an equalizer through Enzo Fernandes in the 36th minute but unfortunately it was ruled out for a foul in the build up to the goal. Their costly error was punished in devastating fashion as Yankuba Minteh netted Brighton’s second two minutes after Chelsea’s goal was ruled out. Danny Welbeck cushioned a blocked shot into Minteh’s pass, the young winger skipped past Cucurella skillfully and fired the shot into the bottom corner. The Seagulls took an impressive two nil lead into the break.
The same combination that led to Brighton’s second goal produced their third in the 63rd minute as Minteh exchanged quick passes with Welbeck, skipped past Cucurella with ease and fired it into the net as his shot took a deflection off Trevor Chalobah on the way in.
Minteh was substituted in the 89th minute for Simon Adingra to a standing ovation as they saw out a resounding victory over the blues. Their first home win in six EPL games.
GUEYE AND SADIG NET IN STALEMATE
Villarreal CF played host to Valencia CF at the El Madrigal Stadium, aiming to secure a third consecutive league victory. Senegalese midfielder Pape Gueye gave the hosts the lead in the 32nd minute with a thunderous effort. Exchanging quick passes with Yeremy Pino, he received the return pass and unleashed an unstoppable effort into the net from the edge of the box. A peach of a goal!
Gueye’s second league goal of the season was the difference between both sides at the end of the first half as the Yellow Submarines took the lead into the break. Both sides made a couple of second half substitutions and the visitors’ 55th minute substitute made the difference. Nicolas Pepe thought he had doubled the visitors’ lead in the 72nd minute but it was ruled out for offside in the build up to the goal.
Umar Sadiq was introduced for Hugo Duro ten minutes into the second half and he proved to be Valencia’s hero. The on-loan Nigerian striker struck at the heart of Villareal’s defence in the 84th minute. Rafa Mir’s shot was saved by the goalkeeper and Sadiq was on hand to cushion the rebound into the net with a well-placed header. A well-timed equalizer! His first goal for Valencia since joining them on loan from Real Sociedad in the winter transfer window.
The match ended all square as neither side managed to find the winner.
ORBAN NETS WINNER IN FIRST START
Named in the starting lineup for the third time since his move to TSG Hoffenheim in the January transfer window, Gift Orban was intent on impressing as Hoffenheim visited Weirder Bremer at the Weserstadion.
The match got off to a horror start for the visitors as centre back Stanley Nsoki put the ball in the back of his own net in the 7th minute. The home fans erupted in delight while the away fans were crestfallen.
They weren’t behind for too long as Anton Stach leveled proceedings in the 28th minute and Tom Bischof put them ahead in the 44th minute. Comeback complete! The visitors took the lead into the break.
The hosts made a trio of substitutions at the break as they sought to draw matters level.
Gift Orban shattered all the hosts’ hopes of a comeback in a clinical manner. Timing his run to perfection, he did more than enough to guide Andrej Kramaric’s cross into the net in the 63rd minute with his head. It was his 3rd goal in six league matches.
He was substituted for Erencan Yardımcı in the 76th minute as he helped Hoffenheim to the three points, bringing an end to their three game winless run.
The Nigerian striker is finding his footing and rediscovering his best form in the Bundesliga.
