The weekend showcased a remarkable performance by African internationals across the top European leagues:
England:
- Nigerian striker Peter Odemwingie scored his second goal for Cardiff City in the Premier League but fell short as Newcastle dominated 2-1.
Germany:
- Cameroonian Eric Choupo-Moting’s late goal helped Mainz come back from 2-0 down against Hoffenheim.
- Moroccan Karim Bellarabi scored for Eintracht Braunschweig in their first Bundesliga victory of the season, with Congolese Dominick Kumbela also contributing to the score.
France:
- Algerian Ryad Boudebouz had an outstanding match for Corsica’s Bastia, contributing to a 4-1 victory against Lorient.
- Africans played a significant role in Lille’s 3-0 win over Ajaccio, with Senegalese Pape Souaré, compatriot Idrissa Guèye, and Ivorian Salomon Kalou all scoring.
Spain:
- Senegalese Baba Diawara and Moroccan Nabil El Zhar scored for Levante against Real Madrid, causing difficulties for the reigning champions. However, Real Madrid secured a late win with Cristiano Ronaldo’s contribution.
Italy:
- Ivorian Gervinho had a notable performance in Roma’s 3-0 victory over Inter Milan, providing an assist and causing a penalty.
- Ghanaian Sulley Muntari scored a double for AC Milan, but it wasn’t enough as they lost 3-2 to Juventus.
Turkey:
- Didier Drogba scored for Galatasaray, but his team suffered a 1-2 loss to Akhisar.
Ukraine:
- Dynamo Kiev’s Africans, including a hat-trick from Moroccan Younès Belhanda, a double from Nigerian Haruna Lukman, and a goal from Congolese Dieumerci Mbokani, secured a dominant 9-1 victory over Metalurg Donetsk.
A weekend filled with standout performances and contributions from African players across various European leagues.
