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Paris (AFP) – Former African Footballer of the Year Riyad Mahrez stormed Chelsea at the weekend for the second time in four days, scoring twice in Manchester City’s 4-0 FA Cup win.
Last Thursday, the 31-year-old Algeria captain and midfielder scored the winning goal in a Premier League clash between the clubs.
Here, AFP Sport highlights African headlines across Europe:
ENGLAND
RIYAD MAHREZ (Manchester City)
Mahrez, who missed the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after Cameroon’s stunning elimination of Algeria in a playoff, excelled in set pieces as City crushed Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium. He put City ahead with a brilliant free-kick in the 23rd minute and completed the rout by converting an 85th-minute penalty.
MOHAMED SALAH (Liverpool)
The Egyptian striker scored Liverpool’s second goal against Wolves, but it wasn’t enough to secure his team’s progress as the Reds drew 2-2 at Anfield. Despite Wolves’ offside appeals, Salah netted in the 52nd minute as he netted to move past Kenny Dalglish on Liverpool’s all-time goalscorer list with his 173rd goal since joining from Roma in 2017. .
ALEX IWOBI (Everton)
The Nigerian midfielder will be sidelined for around three weeks due to the ankle ligament injury he sustained in the 3-1 loss to Manchester United. Struggling Everton confirmed the news after a scan, saying Iwobi’s injury will be “managed conservatively” by his medical team. Iwobi was stretchered off early in the second half after Tyrell Malacia caught him on a challenge.
ITALY
VICTOR OSIMHEN (Naples)
Nigerian striker Osimhen was again key for Napoli as the Serie A leaders extended their lead to seven points with a 2-0 win over Sampdoria. On a night filled with emotion for deceased Samp legends Gianluca Vialli and Sinisa Mihajlovic, the 24-year-old Osimhen was in no sentimental mood, scoring his league-leading 10th goal of the season in the 19th minute to get ahead of the away team and help them bounce back from their midweek loss at Inter Milan.
FRANCE
ERIC BAILLY (Marseille)
Marseille defender and Ivory Coast international Bailly was sent off for an ugly flying tackle that left a French Cup opponent in intensive care. Bailly, 28, who is on loan from Manchester United, was shown the red card 15 minutes into the match against amateur fourth-division Hyeres when his foot caught Almike Moussa N’Diaye in the chest. Hyeres president Mourad Boudjellal, the colorful and controversial former owner of the Toulon rugby club, told AFP that N’Diaye was taken to Marseille hospital and placed in “intensive care as a precautionary measure”. Marseille won the round of 16 tie 2-0.
© 2023 AFP
