Toure Returns With Brace As Africans Sparkle In Europe

Andah John with agency reports

Yaya Toure sparkled in his return to the Manchester City first team as his brace ensured City’s 2-1 win over hard-fighting Crystal Palace.

It was the first league start of the season for the big Ivorian after he was sidelined over a row between his agent and manager Pep Guardiola.

Victor Anichebe was another African on target last weekend. The Nigerian also bagged a brace, his first since 2006, in Sunderland’s 3-0 victory over Hull City.

ENGLAND

YAYA TOURE (Manchester City)

Toure made a storming return to first-team action by scoring twice to earn Pep Guardiola’s side a 2-1 win. The Ivorian put City ahead in the 39th minute, swapping passes with Nolito before blasting in with a deflected shot. He tucked away Kevin De Bruyne’s corner seven minutes from time to register his second. Guardiola confirmed after the game that Toure’s period in exile was over.

VICTOR ANICHEBE (Sunderland)

Nigerian striker Anichebe scored his first Premier League brace since December 2006 as Sunderland crushed fellow strugglers Hull 3-0. The 28-year-old netted his first in the 62nd minute, before connecting with Jermain Defoe’s pass in the 84th minute to seal victory.

PAPY DJILOBODJI (Sunderland)

The only black spot for Sunderland manager David Moyes was a late red card shown to Senegalese centre-back Djilobodji for two bookable offences. The former Chelsea defender was cautioned for going through the back of Dieumerci Mbokani in the first half and received his marching orders late on following a needless foul on Jarrod Bowen.

RIYAD MAHREZ (Leicester City)

Mahrez scored his first league goal since the season’s opening day. But it came in a losing cause as Leicester lost 2-1 at Watford. The Algeria winger blasted a penalty past Heurelho Gomes in the 15th minute.

VICTOR MOSES (Chelsea)

Nigerian flier Moses was named man of the match after a storming display in a 1-0 win at Middlesbrough. Installed at right wing-back in Antonio Conte’s 3-4-3 system, Moses has helped Chelsea record six consecutive clean sheets.

SPAIN

CARLOS KAMENI (Malaga)

Kameni produced a sublime performance to deny Barcelona a goal at the Camp Nou for the first time in La Liga for nearly two years as nine-man Malaga clung on for a 0-0 draw. The pick of Kameni’s saves came deep into stoppage time with an incredible reflex stop to deny Neymar’s header.

MEHDI CARCELA (Granada)

Moroccan winger Carcela fired home his third goal of the season, but it wasn’t enough to deliver Granada’s first win of the term after a 1-1 draw at Valencia.

AISSA MANDI (Real Betis)

Algerian international Mandi netted his first Betis goal as Victor Sanchez’s reign got off to a winning start with a 2-0 victory over Las Palmas. Both goals came from corners.

ITALY

MOHAMED SALAH (Roma)

Barely a fortnight after hitting his maiden league hat-trick, Salah went from hero to zero for Roma’s ambitious fans after spurning a number of first-half chances that proved costly in a 2-1 defeat to Atalanta.

FRANK KESSIE (Atalanta)

The 19-year-old Ivorian ended his drought amid an impressive performance that helped secure Atalanta’s sixth win in seven consecutive games and moved them up to fifth.

GERMANY

PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG (Borussia Dortmund)

The Gabon star was Dortmund’s hero in their 1-0 win over Bayern Munich. He scored the only goal in front of 81,000 fans when he touched in a low cross by Mario Goetze. It was his 12th Bundesliga goal of the season and the victory left Dortmund third.

NABY KEITA (RB Leipzig)

The pocket-size midfielder earned rave reviews for his performance in Leipzig’s 3-2 win at Bayer Leverkusen. The win has taken his side to the top of the table.

IBRAHIMA TRAORE (Borussia Moenchengladbach)

The Guinea winger set up Lars Stindl’s opener for Gladbach in their derby against Cologne and later struck the bar with a free-kick in a match his side lost 2-1.

FRANCE

STEVIE MOUNIE (Montpellier)

Capped five times for Benin, the 22-year-old striker scored in the 55th minute to cancel out his Tunisian teammate Ellyes Skhiri’s first-half own goal and earn Montpellier a 1-1 draw at Bastia.