Following the conclusion of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) earlier this month, several African football stars made an immediate impact for their club sides, finding the back of the net in crucial matches between Friday, January 23, and Saturday, January 24, 2026.
The goal rush saw players like Nigeria’s Paul Onuachu and South Africa’s Lyle Foster mark their return with significant goals, proving their form carried over from national duty.
Manchester City’s new signings, Egyptian Omar Marmoush and Ghanaian Antoine Semenyo, both scored in a commanding victory, while Congolese defender Axel Tuanzebe netted a rare goal for Burnley.
The return of these players injected fresh energy into their respective teams’ campaigns across Europe’s top leagues.
Goal Scorers (January 23-24, 2026)
- Paul Onuachu: The Nigerian striker scored just five minutes after coming on as a substitute for Trabzonspor in their 2-1 Süper Lig victory over Kasımpaşa on Friday, January 23, 2026. This was his 12th league goal of the season.
- Victor Osimhen: The star forward scored his 50th goal for Galatasaray in a 3-1 win over Faith on Saturday.
- Lyle Foster: Foster scored his first goal since returning from AFCON, finding the net in Burnley’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur.
- Omar Marmoush: The Egyptian forward scored for Manchester City in their 2-0 Premier League win against Wolves.
- Antoine Semenyo: Semenyo scored his first Premier League goal for Manchester City in that same 2-0 victory over Wolves.
- Axel Tuanzebe: The DR Congo defender scored his first-ever Premier League goal for Burnley in their 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur.
- Ayoub El Kaabi: The Moroccan striker scored the sole goal in Olympiacos’ 1-0 Super League victory over Volos NFC on Saturday, January 24, 2026, his second match back from international duty.
- Amine Gouiri: The Algerian forward scored a brace (two goals) for Olympique de Marseille in their 3-1 Ligue 1 victory over RC Lens on Saturday, January 24, 2026.
