Nigerian midfielder Alex Iwobi ended his 15-match goal drought in spectacular fashion, scoring Fulham’s second goal in their 3-2 upset victory over Premier League leaders Liverpool. The 28-year-old’s deflected strike in the 32nd minute helped make Fulham only the second team to defeat Liverpool in league play this season. Iwobi has now contributed 8 goals and 5 assists in 31 appearances for the eighth-placed Cottagers.
In other Premier League action, Senegal’s Iliman Ndiaye converted a crucial penalty for Everton in their 1-1 draw with Arsenal, dealing a blow to the Gunners’ title hopes. The 24-year-old midfielder has now scored 9 goals across all competitions this season.
Spanish La Liga saw Guinea defender Mouctar Diakhaby head in the opener for Valencia in their shocking 2-1 win at Real Madrid. The 27-year-old’s well-timed run and finish over Antonio Rüdiger gave relegation-threatened Valencia a vital three points.
In Italy, 19-year-old Senegalese winger Assane Diao had a hand in two goals for Como, assisting the equalizer before scoring himself in a 3-1 victory over bottom club Monza. The teenager recently made his senior debut for Senegal in AFCON qualifying.
Other standout African performers included:
- Serhou Guirassy (Guinea): Scored minutes after coming on in Dortmund’s 4-1 Bundesliga win at Freiburg, taking his season tally to 25 goals
- Abdoulaye Touré (Guinea): Netted his fifth goal in four games as Le Havre climbed out of Ligue 1’s releg zone with a 2-0 win at Montpellier
The weekend’s action demonstrated the growing influence of African players across Europe’s top leagues, with several delivering match-winning performances for their clubs.
