Three African Footballers of the Year among the top goal scorers

Mohamed Salah, Riyad Mahrez and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – the last three African Footballers of the Year – were among the top scorers in the major European leagues at the weekend.

Egyptian Salah netted for the seventh consecutive match as Liverpool beat Newcastle 2-0 and Algerian Mahrez struck late to snatch a 1-1 draw for Leicester against Bournemouth.

Gabonese Aubameyang scored for Arsenal, but could not prevent a 2-1 Premier League loss at Brighton.

England:

MOHAMED SALAH (Liverpool):

He Scored 32nd goal of a remarkable season as he grabbed the opener in Liverpool’s eventual 2-0 win at home to Newcastle. Controlling a pass from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, he shot powerfully through the legs of Magpies goalkeeper Martin Dubravka with his left.

RIYAD MAHREZ (Leicester):

His season threatened to become known solely for the breakdown of a move from Leicester, the 2016 champions, to champions-elect Manchester City, but the playmaker reminded Foxes fans of his quality as a footballer courtesy of a stunning equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Bournemouth. In the seventh minute of injury-time and from 25 yards out, Mahrez curled a free-kick around the wall and beyond keeper Asmir Begovic to score a sublime goal.

JORDAN AYEW (Swansea):

He together with his brother Andre gave the defense of West Ham (Andre’s former club), a torrid time as Swansea swept their visitors from London aside to win 4-1 in south Wales. It was Andre’s first start since his $25 million (20 million Euros) move back to the Liberty Stadium and the Ghanaians completed a memorable afternoon’s work when Andre won a penalty that Jordan converted for the Swans’ fourth goal.

VICTOR MOSES (Chelsea):

Moses had the misfortune to be run ragged by Leroy Sane as Manchester City extended their lead at the top of the table to 18 points with a 1-0 win over Chelsea. One consolation for Nigeria wing-back Moses is that he’s unlikely to have to mark anyone else in Sane’s class during the rest of the Premier League season.

SPAIN

NORDIN AMRABAT (Leganes):

The 30-year-old Dutch-born Amrabat scored Leganes’s second goal in the 2-0 home win over bottom club Malaga in the 62nd minute. He had been booked in the first half of the match against a team where he spent the 2015-2016 season. The Moroccan international is on loan from Watford.

GERMANY

LEON BALOGUN (Mainz):

Mainz had Nigeria defender Balogun sent off for a second yellow card in a 0-0 draw at Hamburg when he fouled Luca Waldschmidt in the area on 61 minutes. The referee pointed to the spot, but the weak kick was saved by goalkeeper Florian Mueller on his Bundesliga debut.

NABY KEITA (RB Leipzig):

Leipzig took the lead when Liverpool-bound Guinean Keita, back after a thigh injury, played a pass through Borussia Dortmund’s defense which Jean-Kevin Augustin tucked away on 29 minutes. Germany winger Marco Reus equalised just before the break.

FRANCE

WAHBI KHAZRI/ISMAILA SARR (Rennes):

The Tunisia playmaker scored for the third game in a row as Rennes climbed to fifth courtesy of a 2-0 win at Amiens. Moments after rattling the crossbar with a first-half free-kick, Khazri latched onto a long punt up field and slotted away his team-leading ninth goal of the season via a healthy deflection. Senegalese forward Ismaila Sarr then sealed victory for Rennes four minutes from the end.