Here’s a summary of the performances of African internationals during the second day of the group stage of the UEFA Champions League:
- Samuel Eto’o (Chelsea): Coming off the bench early in the game due to an injury to Fernando Torres, Eto’o made a significant impact on Chelsea’s game against Steaua Bucharest. He was involved in Ramires’ first goal, and his right shot in the first half led to an own goal. Eto’o continued to contribute in the second half, assisting in the fourth goal. With Torres sidelined for two weeks, Eto’o will have the opportunity to showcase his skills and potentially score his first goal for Chelsea.
- Mohamed Salah (FC Basel): Salah had a less impressive performance, visibly affected by the interruption caused by Greenpeace activists. The Ivorian Giovani Sio, who came on in the second half, did not have the desired impact. However, Ghanaian Kevin-Prince Boateng had a standout performance for Schalke 04, contributing to their second consecutive victory.
- Mario Balotelli, Kevin Constant, Sulley Muntari (AC Milan): Balotelli once again played a crucial role in rescuing AC Milan from a challenging situation, scoring a penalty in stoppage time to secure a draw against Ajax. Guinean Kevin Constant and Ghanaian Sulley Muntari played the full match for AC Milan.
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund): Aubameyang, while not scoring, caused problems for Marseille with his runs and positional changes. Although there was a brief confusion when he was mistakenly thought to have scored, the actual goal was scored by Marco Reus. Despite the Gabonese striker’s efforts, Marseille faced a defeat, and their chances in the Champions League are now uncertain.
- Andre Ayew, Alaixys Romao, Nicolas Nkoulou, Saber Khlifa, Jordan Ayew (Olympique de Marseille): Andre Ayew struggled, Alaixys Romao showed enthusiasm, Nicolas Nkoulou had limited impact and conceded a penalty, Saber Khlifa was denied a penalty, and Jordan Ayew’s performance was disappointing. Marseille’s hopes in the Champions League are now uncertain after the defeat.
These performances showcase the diverse contributions of African players in the UEFA Champions League, with both standout moments and challenges faced by the players representing their respective clubs.
