Uche, el kaddouri and aboubakar hit braces

Villarreal’s Nigerian forward Ikechukwu Uche, Torino’s Moroccan midfielder Omar El Kaddouri and Cameroonian striker Vincent Aboubakar of Lorient were the African stars of the weekend in Europe.
All three hit braces as Uche also won a penalty in helping the yellow submarines thump Levante 3-0.
El Kaddouri was on target twice in Torino’s 4-1 win over Catania while Aboubakar’s two goals helped Lorient earn their first away win of the season, 4-0 at Evian.

ENGLAND

YAYA TOURE (Manchester City)
Toure was at his swashbuckling best as City reaffirmed their title credentials with a stunning 6-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur. The Ivory Coast midfielder teed up Sergio Aguero for City’s fourth goal early in the second half, exchanging passes with first Fernandinho and then Alvaro Negredo before marauding down the left flank and squaring for Aguero to tap home.

SHOLA AMEOBI (Newcastle United)
Ameobi followed up his goal-scoring turn in Nigeria’s 2-2 draw with Italy last Monday by playing a central role in Newcastle’s 2-1 win over Norwich City. The 32-year-old striker helped tee up Yoan Gouffran’s 38th-minute winner with a header that was palmed into his French team-mate’s path by visiting goalkeeper John Ruddy.

DEMBA BA (Chelsea)
Ba was given a fleeting opportunity to impress as a 79th-minute replacement for Cameroonian team-mate Samuel Eto’o in Chelsea’s 3-0 win at his former club West Ham United. The Senegal striker found the net with a slide-rule finish in the closing stages, but the ‘goal’ was ruled out for offside.

EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR (Tottenham Hotspur)
Togolese striker Adebayor made his first appearance of the season in Tottenham’s 6-0 defeat at his former club Manchester City, having previously been frozen out of the first-team picture by manager Andre Villas-Boas. He came on as a half-time substitute, with Spurs trailing 3-0, and procured a late sight of goal, only for City goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon to save with his legs.

YANNICK BOLASIE (Crystal Palace)
Democratic Republic of Congo international winger Bolasie squandered an opportunity to impress new Palace manager Tony Pulis as he was sent off in the 78th minute at Hull City for a rash challenge on Jake Livermore. Despite Bolasie’s dismissal, Palace prevailed 1-0 through a goal from Barry Bannan, scored three minutes later.

FRANCE

VINCENT ABOUBAKER/SADIO DIALLO (Lorient)
A double from Cameroonian striker Vincent Aboubakar helped Brittany side Lorient end a seven-month winless drought away with a 4-0 win at Evian. The first three points of the season away from home lifted the Bretons to 17th in Ligue 1, four points above the first relegation spot. Aboubakar opened the scoring after six minutes off a Kevin Monnet-Pacquet cross and the 21-year-old added a second seven minutes later from a tricky angle for his seventh goal of the season. Guinean teammate Sadio Diallo added a third eight minutes from time with Yann Jouffre completing the scoreline from a penalty after 87 minutes following an foul by Evian defender Aldo Angoula on Aboubakar.

PAPE N’DIAYE SOUARE/VINCENT ENYEAMA (Lille)
Senegalese defender Pape N’Diaye Souare scored six minutes from time to keep Lille hanging onto Paris Saint-Germain’s coat-tails with a 1-0 win over 10-man Toulouse. The result extended Rene Girard’s team’s unbeaten run to nine games while Nigerian international goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama has not conceded a goal in 855 minutes of action. Enyeama was required to save his side on three occasions from Ben Yedder, Issiaga Sylla and Adrien Regattin.

JEAN-ARMEL KANA-BIYIK (Rennes)/CHEICK DIABATE (Bordeaux)
Franco-Cameroonian Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik and Malian striker Cheick Diabaté both scored but for rival teams in a 1-1 draw between Rennes and Bordeaux in Brittany. Kana-Biyik, 24, broke the deadlock with a header on 63 minutes but just a minute later Diabate got the equaliser with his seventh goal of the season to share the spoils. The teams, who are both languishing in midtable with 18 points from 14 games, will meet again in the League Cup last 16 in Rennes on December 18.

EMMANUEL MAYUKA (Sochaux)/Ryad Boudebouz (Bastia)
Zambian striker Emmanuel Mayuka scored for tailenders Bastia in a 1-1 draw at home against Bastia. Algerian international striker Ryad Boudebouz put the Corsians ahead after 31 minutes with Sochaux only drawing level through Mayuka after 74 minutes after having two goals from Franco-Congolese striker Cedric Bakambu disallowed.

GERMANY

JOEL MATIP (Schalke 04)
Cameroon defender Matip headed Schalke’s second goal as the Royal Blues drew 3-3 at Eintracht Frankfurt, having thrown away a 2-0 lead. Centre-back Matip headed home Dennis Aogo’s cross on 18 minutes as the visitors raced into a 2-0 lead, but Frankfurt hit back with three goals in just 12 second-half minutes to take a 3-2 lead late on. Germany centre-back Benedikt Hoewedes saved Schalke’s blushes with a header four minutes from time to share a point and leave the Royal Blues sixth in the table ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League game at Steaua Bucharest.

SALIF SANE (Hanover 96)
Senegal defender Sane was sent off in the 90th minute of Hanover’s 3-1 defeat at Hamburg on Sunday to compound Mirko Slomka’s problems as his side have now gone eight games without a win. Hanover slipped to their sixth away defeat with Sane adding to his 60th-minute booking when he fouled Hamburg defender Heiko Westermann just before the final whistle. Having taken a first-half lead through Hungary’s Szabolcs Huszti, Hanover leaked three goals without reply as Croatia’s Milan Badelj, right-wing Maximilian Beister and 19-year-old Turkey midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu replied for the hosts. Sane is now suspended for Hanover’s next Bundesliga game at home to Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday.

ITALY

SULLEY MUNTARI (AC Milan)
Muntari added to Milan’s woes when he pulled up injured on the cusp of half-time after stretching for a pass in midfield, appearing to injure his groin. The Ghanaian did not appear for the second half, when he was replaced by Valter Birsa. Milan have yet to officially announce the length of Muntari’s absence, with club vice-president Adriano Galliani saying late Saturday: “We will be without Muntari for a short time.” Milan were held 1-1 by Genoa, leading to an angry fan protest outside the San Siro which blocked the squad from leaving for nearly two hours.

KWADWO ASAMOAH
Asamoah was one of the few Juventus players to hit the target during a frustrating first half for the champions away to Livorno, bringing a save from Francesco Bardi at his near post. Juve stepped up a gear after the interval and it was Asamoah’s pass to Paul Pogba that allowed the Frenchman to send in a cross for Fernando Llorente to smash a volley home for a 63rd minute opener. Before Juve had sealed a 2-0 win that sent them top for the first time this season, Asamoah made way in the 87th minute for Federico Peluso. The Ghanaian is a likely starter for Wednesday’s Champions League clash at home to FC  Copenhagen.

OMAR EL KADDOURI (Torino)
Torino had not won since a 2-1 away defeat of Bologna over two months ago, but got back to winning ways in style with a 4-1 win at home to struggling Catania, with El Kaddouri scoring a brace. The Moroccan midfielder showed his eye for goal in the 34th minute when he latched on to a wayward pass from a Catania defender to add to Ciro Immobile’s 10th minute opener. After Catania had reduced the arrears through Sebastian Leto, Emiliano Moretti stretched Torino’s lead and El Kaddouri added his second two minutes later when he picked up a loose ball in the area to slot the ball home.

RUSSIA

Seydou Doumbia (CSKA Moscow)
The Ivory Coast forward was the hero of Moscow’s most famous derby clash as he scored the only goal of the match in the eighth minute when he beat the Spartak defence on a breakaway and scored following a monumental error by goalkeeper Artem Rebrov. After halftime Doumbia had several more scoring opportunities but failed to increase CSKA’s lead. In 77th minute Doumbia was substituted for Nigerian forward Ahmed Musa.

Dame N’Doye (Lokomotiv Moscow)
The railway-backed side’s Senegalese striker N’Doye missed a couple of scoring chances in the other Moscow derby clash before the 65th minute when he netted his team’s winning goal with a low shot from just inside the area. N’Doye squandered two more clear chances before he was substituted with five minutes to go.

SPAIN

Ikechukwu Uche (Villarreal)
Nigerian Uche scored twice and also won a penalty as Villarreal won 3-0 away to Levante to strengthen their fourth position in La Liga. The 29-year-old was felled by goalkeeper Keylor Navas after just 13 minutes, leading to the Costa Rican’s dismissal. And after Bruno Soriano had put the visitors in front from the resulting penalty, Uche sealed the points with two well-taken goals in the final 16 minutes.

Stephane M’bia (Sevilla)
M’bia scored his first goal for Sevilla as they took the spoils in the first Seville derby of the season with a 4-0 win over Real Betis at the Sanchez Pizjuan. The Cameroonian midfielder headed home Ivan Rakitic’s free-kick for the hosts’ second two minutes before half-time, but he also had to thank Betis keeper Guillermo Sara, who let the ball slip through his grasp.

Courtesy of AFP

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