African players in Europe: Iwobi, Semenyo strike in the Prem

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Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo was the match-winner as Manchester City beat Leeds United 1-0 at the weekend to stay hot on the heels of leaders Arsenal in the Premier League title race.

The Gunners have a five-point lead with nine matches to play, but City have a game in hand as they pursue a seventh title in nine seasons. Arsenal were runners-up in their past three campaigns.

Semenyo has claimed 14 league goals this season for City and previous club Bournemouth. Only team-mate Erling Haaland and Brentford’s Igor Thiago have more.

ENGLAND

ANTOINE SEMENYO (Manchester City)

Semenyo’s impressive start at City continued with his sixth goal in 11 appearances handing Pep Guardiola’s men victory at Leeds. He slid in to meet Algerian Rayan Ait-Nouri’s low cross in first half stoppage time to keep City on Arsenal’s tail.

ALEX IWOBI (Fulham)

Iwobi’s sweet strike earned Fulham a 2-1 win over struggling Tottenham to boost their push towards the European places. The Nigerian rubbed salt into Spurs’ wounds by cushioning in an effort from outside the box as Fulham climbed to ninth.

BETO (Everton)

Guinea-Bissau international Beto pounced on an error from Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope to score Everton’s second goal in an impressive 3-2 away win. The striker swept home the rebound after Pope allowed Dwight McNeil’s effort to slip from his grasp.

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SPAIN

PAPE GUEYE (Villarreal)

Senegalese midfielder Gueye netted for the second consecutive La Liga match at Spanish champions Barcelona, although his team fell to a bruising 4-1 defeat. Gueye pulled Villarreal briefly back into the game after Barca took a two-goal lead when he turned home from close range, for his fourth strike of the season in the top flight

INAKI WILLIAMS (Athletic Bilbao)

Williams scored an excellent goal to earn his team a 1-1 draw at Rayo Vallecano. The 31-year-old Ghana striker has had a poor campaign by his standards but volleyed home from the edge of the box for his second league goal.

GERMANY

FARES CHAIBI (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Chaibi scored just 42 seconds after coming off the bench to break the deadlock and send Eintracht towards a 2-0 Bundesliga win over visiting Freiburg. The Algerian came on in the second half and had an immediate impact, collecting a Nnamdi Collins pass and dragging an inch-perfect shot into the bottom corner.

YAN DIOMANDE (RB Leipzig)

Leipzig teenager Diomande scored the winner in a 2-1 victory at Hamburg. With his club needing a win to keep Champions League qualification hopes on track, Diomande, 19, collected a Brajan Gruda pass and cut through the penalty area to score.

FRANCE

PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG (Marseille)

Veteran Gabon striker Aubameyang struck twice in the closing stages to turn a looming loss to Lyon into a 3-2 Ligue 1 victory for Marseille. Lyon lie third and Marseille fourth, 12 and 14 points respectively behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain.

MARSHALL MUNETSI (Paris FC)

Zimbabwe captain Munetsi netted after 26 minutes to give Paris FC a 1-0 victory over Nice in a clash of the clubs immediately above the relegation zone. Munetsi is on loan from Premier League bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers.

– AFP

Photo: Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduf

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Dylan Johnson