African players in Europe: Resurgent Salah scores again

He took his English Premier League season goal haul this season to six at the weekend with the opener for title challengers Liverpool in a 2-0 home win over bottom club Fulham.

The reigning African Footballer of the Year has put an early-season barren spell behind him to trail leading scorer Sergio Aguero of Manchester City by two goals.

England

MOHAMED SALAH (Liverpool)

After an uncertain start that led many to wonder if last term’s goal-laden season was a flash in the pan, the Egypt striker looks to be regaining his old form. Seconds after basement club Fulham had a goal controversially disallowed, Salah crowned a rapid counter-attack with a composed finish to score the Reds’ opener, his eighth goal this season in all competitions, in a 2-0 win that maintained their unbeaten run in this league campaign.

SOL BAMBA (Cardiff)

The Ivory Coast defender scored a dramatic last-minute winner as the Bluebirds sealed a much-needed 2-1 win over Brighton in manager Neil Warnock’s 100th game in charge of the Welsh capital club. Bamba’s spectacular overhead kick hit the post before Callum Paterson’s follow-up was deflected onto the crossbar. But there was no third let-off for the Seagulls with Bamba, quickly back on his feet, thumping the loose ball home.

Italy

GERVINHO (Parma)/NICOLAS NKOULOU (Torino)

Former Arsenal winger Gervinho scored his third goal this season as Parma came away with a 2-1 win from Torino after a defensive mix-up involving Cameroonian Nkoulou saw the Ivorian surge forward with a brilliant solo run after nine minutes to help the promoted side move up to 10th in Serie A, two points off the Europa League places.

CHRISTIAN KOUAME (Genoa)

Ivorian forward Kouame scored his second goal for Genoa after moving to the top-flight side last July by heading in a Romulo cross after 20 minutes. But after a 13-minute second-half interruption due to torrential rain, Napoli scored twice to win 2-1 and move back to second in Serie A.

JOEL OBI (Chievo)

Nigerian midfielder Obi scored his first goal for new club Chievo when he tapped in the second goal as the rock-bottom side from Verona held on for a 2-2 draw against Bologna. It was just the third point this season for the club who finally broke out of negative territory to sit on zero points after 12 games, having being deducted three points for false accounting.

Germany

JEAN-PHILIPPE GBAMIN (Mainz 05)

The Ivory Coast striker gave Mainz an early lead in their 3-1 win at Freiburg by scoring his second goal in as many games with a shot from outside the box on six minutes. It was the 23-year-old’s first goal on the road in 340 minutes as Mainz picked up a second straight win to climb to ninth in the Bundesliga.

France

PELE (Monaco)

The Portugal-born Guinea-Bissau international midfielder made just his second Ligue 1 start since joining Monaco from Rio Ave in the close season. Sent off in a defeat at Reims in his last game, the 27-year-old could not do much to help Thierry Henry’s struggling side as they went down 4-0 at home to runaway league leaders Paris Saint-Germain.

MAXWEL CORNET (Lyon)

Restricted to occasional substitute appearances this season after staying at Lyon despite interest from abroad, Ivory Coast international Cornet came off the bench to score his team’s final goal in a morale-boosting 4-2 victory at Ligue 1 bottom side Guingamp. It was his first league goal of the campaign.

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