Salah equals Drogba's record
NAMPA/AFP
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah equalled the record for goals by an African in an English Premier League season, when he scored his 29th in a weekend win at Crystal Palace.
The prolific 25-year-old Egyptian attacker matched the mark set by Ivorian Didier Drogba during the 2009-2010 season, when he helped Chelsea win the title.
Salah is five goals ahead of Tottenham Hotspur sharpshooter Harry Kane, as he seeks to emulate Drogba and finish as the Premier League leading scorer.
Here is a look at how Africans performed in the European leagues this past weekend.
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Salah may not have had one of his more eye-catching performances against struggling Crystal Palace but he was on hand to score the winner, producing a delightful first touch to bemuse Mamadou Sakho and fire home his 29th Premier League goal of the campaign, equalling the league record of scoring in 21 matches of a 38-game season.
Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester)
He could have cost his side dearly when, with the Foxes holding a 1-0 lead at struggling Brighton, he received his marching orders for a second bookable offence with three minutes remaining. The 21-year-old Nigeria midfielder had conceded a penalty for his first yellow card, but Glenn Murray's spot-kick was saved by Kasper Schmeichel, and was sent off for fouling Shane Duffy. Leicester scored a second goal with 10 men to win 2-0.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal)
The Gabon striker bagged a brace as Arsenal warmed up for a crucial Europa League clash with a 3-0 home victory over Stoke. Arsene Wenger's side must win the UEFA second-tier competition to qualify for next season's Champions League, so playing Stoke was all about boosting morale ahead of a visit from CSKA Moscow for a quarter-final first leg this Thursday. Aubameyang, who isn't eligible to play in Europe for the Gunners, ensured they go into the Moscow tie in good spirits, opening the scoring with a 75th-minute penalty and adding his second with a cool finish in the 86th minute. He now has five goals for Arsenal since his January move from Borussia Dortmund.
Joel Obi (Torino)
Nigerian international Obi came off the bench to score the final goal in a 4-0 win by Torino at Cagliari. The 26-year-old midfielder came on in the 77th minute and scored 10 minutes later off an Andrea Belotti cross, as mid-table Torino claimed their ninth win of the season. Obi is targeting a call-up by Nigeria for the World Cup in Russia, after being recalled by the 'Super Eagles' this month following an almost four-year absence.
Salif Sane (Hanover)
The Senegalese defender scored his second goal in three games, but was unable to help Hanover avoid a dramatic 3-2 defeat to RB Leipzig. With his side 2-0 down, Sane's header went in off the post to pull them back into the game and kickstart what might have been a brilliant comeback. Hanover were ultimately heartbroken, however, when a late equaliser was ruled offside.
Naby Keita (RB Leipzig)
The 23-year-old Guinean picked up his fifth assist of the season, as his side survived a late scare to beat Hanover 3-2. Early in the second half, Keita's floating cross found Willi Orban, who put Leipzig 2-0 ahead with a powerful header. Though Hanover twice fought back from a two-goal deficit, Keita and Leipzig held on to secure three points and bounce back into the Bundesliga top four.
Kevin-Prince Boateng (Eintracht Frankfurt)
The former Ghana international provided a stylish assist in Eintracht Frankfurt's 2-1 defeat to Werder Bremen. With Frankfurt 1-0 down in the second half, Boateng's backheeled cross picked out Lukas Jovic, who equalised. It wasn't enough for Frankfurt, who missed a chance to go fourth, after a mistake gave Bremen a late victory.
Giovanni Sio (Montpellier)
The 29-year-old Ivory Coast striker grabbed two goals, as fifth-place Montpellier defeated Caen 3-1 to keep up his club's push for a Europa League spot next season. Sio now has 10 Ligue 1 goals this season, with his team having lost just once in their last 13 league matches.
The prolific 25-year-old Egyptian attacker matched the mark set by Ivorian Didier Drogba during the 2009-2010 season, when he helped Chelsea win the title.
Salah is five goals ahead of Tottenham Hotspur sharpshooter Harry Kane, as he seeks to emulate Drogba and finish as the Premier League leading scorer.
Here is a look at how Africans performed in the European leagues this past weekend.
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Salah may not have had one of his more eye-catching performances against struggling Crystal Palace but he was on hand to score the winner, producing a delightful first touch to bemuse Mamadou Sakho and fire home his 29th Premier League goal of the campaign, equalling the league record of scoring in 21 matches of a 38-game season.
Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester)
He could have cost his side dearly when, with the Foxes holding a 1-0 lead at struggling Brighton, he received his marching orders for a second bookable offence with three minutes remaining. The 21-year-old Nigeria midfielder had conceded a penalty for his first yellow card, but Glenn Murray's spot-kick was saved by Kasper Schmeichel, and was sent off for fouling Shane Duffy. Leicester scored a second goal with 10 men to win 2-0.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal)
The Gabon striker bagged a brace as Arsenal warmed up for a crucial Europa League clash with a 3-0 home victory over Stoke. Arsene Wenger's side must win the UEFA second-tier competition to qualify for next season's Champions League, so playing Stoke was all about boosting morale ahead of a visit from CSKA Moscow for a quarter-final first leg this Thursday. Aubameyang, who isn't eligible to play in Europe for the Gunners, ensured they go into the Moscow tie in good spirits, opening the scoring with a 75th-minute penalty and adding his second with a cool finish in the 86th minute. He now has five goals for Arsenal since his January move from Borussia Dortmund.
Joel Obi (Torino)
Nigerian international Obi came off the bench to score the final goal in a 4-0 win by Torino at Cagliari. The 26-year-old midfielder came on in the 77th minute and scored 10 minutes later off an Andrea Belotti cross, as mid-table Torino claimed their ninth win of the season. Obi is targeting a call-up by Nigeria for the World Cup in Russia, after being recalled by the 'Super Eagles' this month following an almost four-year absence.
Salif Sane (Hanover)
The Senegalese defender scored his second goal in three games, but was unable to help Hanover avoid a dramatic 3-2 defeat to RB Leipzig. With his side 2-0 down, Sane's header went in off the post to pull them back into the game and kickstart what might have been a brilliant comeback. Hanover were ultimately heartbroken, however, when a late equaliser was ruled offside.
Naby Keita (RB Leipzig)
The 23-year-old Guinean picked up his fifth assist of the season, as his side survived a late scare to beat Hanover 3-2. Early in the second half, Keita's floating cross found Willi Orban, who put Leipzig 2-0 ahead with a powerful header. Though Hanover twice fought back from a two-goal deficit, Keita and Leipzig held on to secure three points and bounce back into the Bundesliga top four.
Kevin-Prince Boateng (Eintracht Frankfurt)
The former Ghana international provided a stylish assist in Eintracht Frankfurt's 2-1 defeat to Werder Bremen. With Frankfurt 1-0 down in the second half, Boateng's backheeled cross picked out Lukas Jovic, who equalised. It wasn't enough for Frankfurt, who missed a chance to go fourth, after a mistake gave Bremen a late victory.
Giovanni Sio (Montpellier)
The 29-year-old Ivory Coast striker grabbed two goals, as fifth-place Montpellier defeated Caen 3-1 to keep up his club's push for a Europa League spot next season. Sio now has 10 Ligue 1 goals this season, with his team having lost just once in their last 13 league matches.
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