African stars in Europe wrap up

It was another excellent weekend for Africa’s stars across the European continent with goals, assists, and clean sheets. We highlight some of the top performers.

INAKI WILLIAMS (GHANA & ATHLETIC BILBAO)It was a family affair for Athletic Bilbao as both Inaki and Nico Williams scored in their 3-2 LaLiga victory over Rayo Vallecano on Saturday.

The pair are the first brothers to net for the same team in LaLiga since Diego and Gabi Milito for Real Zaragoza against Barcelona in 2005.

But it is Inaki’s goal in particular that will have Black Stars fans purring. He controlled the ball some 30 yards from goal, used his pace to sprint away from the Rayo defenders, and provided a neat finish.

M’BALA NZOLA (ANGOLA & SPEZIA)Nzola took his tally of goals to three in seven Serie A starts this season with another strike against Sampdoria in Spezia’s 2-1 win.

That is already one more goal than he netted in the entirety of the last campaign and he now has 16 in 38 starts in Italy’s top division.

Not bad for a player who had spent most of his career in the lower leagues until Spezia’s promotion in 2020.

JORDAN ZEMURA (ZIMBABWE & BOURNEMOUTH)It has been a tough old campaign for Bournemouth so far, but there have been signs since the sacking of manager Scott Parker they might just be OK.

Central to any success they will have is left-back Zemura, who was both a scorer and assister of goals in last season’s promotion push.

He was at it again on Sunday, his cross from the left allowing Dane Philip Billing to steer the ball into the net against Newcastle United.

At just 22, Zemura has a big future in the game and he was voted Man of the Match by Cherries fans after the 1-1 draw at St James’ Park.

TAIWO AWONIYI (NIGERIA & NOTTINGHAM FOREST)Awoniyi scored his second goal in three starts this season as he stopped to head in Ryan Yates’ corner at the back post to give Nottingham Forest the lead in their Premiership clash with Fulham.

It was a simple finish, but all about his anticipation in the box and adds to his winner against West Ham last month, though this time the game ended in a 3-2 defeat.

Awoniyi has been in and out of the starting line-up this season having arrived from Union Berlin, where he netted 15 Bundesliga goals in 2021/22, comfortably the best return of his career.

ASSAN CEESAY (GAMBIA & LECCE)Gambia forward Ceesay is in his first season in Serie A after a move to Lecce from FC Zurich, here he had spent the previous five years.

His highest tally of league goals in a season at the Swiss club was three before he exploded in the 2021/22 campaign to bag 20, prompting Lecce to make their move.

He has started well at his new club and netted a second goal of the campaign with a fine individual effort.

Ceesay showed great strength to hold off the defender, before rounding the goalkeeper and scoring from a tight angle to give his side the lead in their 2-1 away win, the first three points of the campaign.

MOUCTAR DIAKHABY (GUINEA & VALENCIA)Defender Diakhaby helped Valencia to a second clean sheet of the season in their comprehensive 3-0 victory over Celta Vigo.

The LaLiga club have been miserly at the back so far this campaign, conceding fewer goals (five) than league leaders Real Madrid (six), who have a 100 percent record to date.

French-born Diakhaby is now in his fifth season at the club and has mostly been a fixture in the side when fit since he arrived from Lyon in 2018.

He even managed a rare goal last weekend in the loss to Rayo Vallecano.

ALEX IWOBI (NIGERIA & EVERTON)If ever a player’s career has been transformed it is Alex Iwobi under Everton manager Frank Lampard.

The Nigeria international battled through his first two seasons at the club and caught the ire of fans almost every time he played. But a positional switch under Lampard to a more central attacking role has seen him flourish.

He won yet another Man of the Match award in Sunday’s 1-0 win over West Ham and Iwobi is now one of the first names on the teamsheet and adored by the Goodison Park faithful.

He set up the winner, his precise pass into Neal Maupay allowing the striker to take a touch and rifle the ball into the back of the net from the edge of the box.

Iwobi has gone from pariah to arguably Everton’s most important player this season.

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