African footballers faced challenges in making a significant impact over the weekend across the top five European leagues. Here’s a breakdown of their performances:
England:
- Stephane Sessegnon from Benin was the standout performer, helping Sunderland with a crucial goal against Everton on Matchday 34 of the English Premier League. His contribution assisted Sunderland in moving away from the relegation zone, securing a 14th-place position.
Spain:
- Franco-Algerian striker Karim Benzema scored for Real Madrid in their dominating victory against Real Betis on the 32nd day of La Liga. Despite Atletico Madrid’s win, Real Madrid maintained their second-place position.
Italy:
- No African players scored in Serie A.
Germany:
- No African players scored in the Bundesliga.
France:
- Moroccan midfielder Younes Belhanda’s goal was not enough for Montpellier, as they were ultimately defeated 2-1 by Lyon on the 33rd day. This season, the defending champions will be absent from European competitions.
- Tunisian Wahbi Khazri’s exceptional performance, scoring in the 47th minute, couldn’t secure a positive result for Bastia against Lille. Bastia lost 2-1, but they can be satisfied with maintaining their position.
- Malian striker Cheick Diabaté scored a late equalizer for Bordeaux in their 2-2 draw against Sochaux. Sochaux had earlier taken the lead with goals from Algerian Ryad Boudebouz (33rd-minute penalty) and Franco-Congolese player Cedric Bakambu (67th minute). The draw doesn’t benefit Sochaux, as they remain in the relegation zone.
- Cameroonian attackers Benjamin Moukandjo and Paul Alo’o Efoulou, along with a goal from Tunisian Salif Khlifa, secured Nancy’s 2-1 victory against Evian. Nancy is giving itself some breathing room in the championship, while Evian must fight to stay in Ligue 1 next season.
Overall, it was a challenging weekend for African players in the European leagues, with only a few making notable contributions.
