African players in Europe: Mahrez caps superb display with goal

Paris (AFP) – Goal scorers Riyad Mahrez, Karl Toko-Ekambi and Jamilu Collins were among the African players who starred at the weekend in the major European leagues.

Algerian Mahrez curled a free-kick into the net to give Manchester City the lead a second time at Everton en route to a 3-1 Premier League triumph.

Cameroonian Toko-Ekambi bagged a brace for Villarreal in a 5-1 La Liga rout of Real Betis and Nigerian Collins struck a superb goal for Paderborn in a 3-2 Bundesliga defeat by Bayern Munich.

ENGLAND

RIYAD MAHREZ (Manchester City)

The winger capped a superb display with the free-kick that inspired his club’s win at Everton. Needing a victory to keep in touch with leaders Liverpool, Pep Guardiola’s side had been pegged back to 1-1 when Mahrez stepped up to drive in a fine free-kick in the 71st minute. Mahrez, who has three goals this term, is on an excellent run of form since helping his country win the Africa Cup of Nations in July.

MOHAMED SALAH (Liverpool)

The Egypt winger has gone three games without a goal after failing to score in his side’s hard-fought 1-0 win at Sheffield United. Salah has netted four times in 10 appearances in all competitions this season, but fired blanks in consecutive away games against Napoli, Chelsea and Sheffield. He should have got on the scoresheet in the second half, but fluffed his lines with a tame strike at goalkeeper Dean Henderson.

WILFRED NDIDI (Leicester)

The Nigeria midfielder scored his first goal at the King Power Stadium since January to cap his team’s 5-0 rout of 10-man Newcastle. For the first time since a defeat against Southampton under previous Leicester boss Claude Puel, Ndidi got on the scoresheet in front of the Foxes’ home fans as he turned to fire low past Martin Dubravka in the 90th minute.

SPAIN

KARL TOKO-EKAMBI/SAMUEL CHUKWUEZE (Villarreal) 

Toko-Ekambi scored twice and Nigerian Chukwueze once, as Villarreal thumped Betis. Toko-Ekambi put Villarreal in front shortly before half-time with a towering header from a corner and then made it 3-1 with 14 minutes left, guiding a smart finish into the net. Villarreal scored twice more in injury-time, with Chukwueze adding the fifth and final goal. He cut in from the right and picked his spot, digging out a bending shot past goalkeeper Joel Robles. 

ITALY

KALIDOU KOULIBALY (Napoli)

Senegalese defender Koulibaly sat out the first of a two-match ban as Napoli beat Brescia 2-1. Koulibaly was punished for seeing red and insulting the referee in a midweek league defeat to Cagliari. Koulibaly was also fined 10,000 euros ($11,000) for the incident.

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