Salah boosts Golden Boot hopes as African stars shine in Europe
Mohamed Salah closed the gap on Erling Haaland in the Premier League Golden Boot race to one goal after converting a penalty in Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Manchester City at the weekend.
City star Haaland has 12 goals after 13 rounds, Egypt captain Salah has 11, while fellow African internationals Nicolas Jackson, Bryan Mbeumo, and Yoane Wissa each have eight goals.
Omar Marmoush, another Egyptian in fine form, has scored 13 goals in 12 Bundesliga matches for second-placed Eintracht Frankfurt.
Here, AFP Sport highlights African headline-makers in Europe’s top leagues:
ENGLAND
MOHAMED SALAH (Liverpool)
Salah was instrumental as Liverpool dealt a huge blow to City’s title hopes at Anfield. He assisted Cody Gakpo’s 12th-minute opener with a shot that the Dutch forward tapped in. Later, Salah converted a 78th-minute penalty, moving Liverpool nine points clear of second-placed Arsenal and 11 ahead of City.
NICOLAS JACKSON (Chelsea)
The Senegal striker shone in Chelsea’s impressive 3-0 victory against Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge. Jackson met Marc Cucurella’s cross with a clinical volley from eight yards, putting Chelsea ahead in the seventh minute.
YOANE WISSA (Brentford)
The Democratic Republic of Congo forward helped Brentford secure a 4-1 win over Leicester. Wissa equalised in the 25th minute with a tap-in from Kevin Schade’s cross; Schade later netted a hat-trick.
SPAIN
RANDY NTEKA (Rayo Vallecano)
The Angolan attacking midfielder scored Vallecano’s opener against Athletic Bilbao, who later recovered to win 2-1. Nteka intercepted a poor back pass and finished with a composed strike for his first goal of the season.
ITALY
ANAS HAJ MOHAMED (Parma)
The 19-year-old Italy-born Tunisia international made his first Serie A start memorable, scoring Parma’s second goal in a 3-1 victory over Lazio. His curled effort in the 53rd minute secured Parma’s third win in 14 league games.
GERMANY
OMAR MARMOUSH (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Marmoush excelled again as Eintracht defeated Heidenheim 4-0, narrowing Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga lead to four points. He opened the scoring in the 22nd minute with a first-time finish and added a third
midway through the second half.
FRANCE
GEOFFREY KONDOGBIA (Marseille)
The 31-year-old Central African Republic international has been successfully converted into a centre-back by Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi. Kondogbia featured in the heart of the defence as Marseille secured a 2-1 victory over Monaco in a crucial Ligue 1 clash.
ABDOUL OUATTARA (Strasbourg)
The 19-year-old Ivorian midfielder, a Strasbourg academy graduate, scored his first professional goal after coming off the bench in a 3-1 loss to Brest.
AFP
