African players in Europe: Mbeumo ends goal drought as United win
Cameroon striker Bryan Mbeumo scored his first Manchester United goal since August and his club went on to win 2-1 at Liverpool in the Premier League at the weekend.
The 26-year-old close-season signing from Brentford took just 61 seconds to put the visitors ahead, and on their way to a first victory at Anfield since 2016.
Mbeumo eased past Virgil van Dijk before firing beyond goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili from a pass by Ivory Coast winger Amad Diallo.
AFP Sport highlights African headline-makers in the major European leagues:
ENGLAND
BRYAN MBEUMO (Manchester United)
It was Mbeumo's first goal for United since he struck in the win over Burnley on August 30. Cody Gakpo equalised for Liverpool in the 78th minute but Harry Maguire's header six minutes later secured United's first consecutive league wins in Ruben Amorim's reign as manager. It was the first time in 11 years that league champions Liverpool had suffered four successive defeats in all competitions.
GERMANY
BAZOUMANA TOURE (Hoffenheim)
Ivorian teenager Toure broke the deadlock nine minutes into the second half and eighth-placed Hoffenheim went on to triumph 3-0 at bottom-half St Pauli. A brilliantly constructed move ended with the 19-year-old scoring with a low shot that entered the net off the far post.
FRANCE
SOFIANE DIOP, HICHAM BOUDAOUI (Nice)
Lyon lost a chance to go level on 18 points with Ligue 1 leaders Marseille when they fell 3-2 away to Nice, two of whose goals came from Moroccan Diop and Algerian Boudaoui. Diop put mid-table Nice ahead a second time in the opening half, and Boudaoui stretched the lead 10 minutes into the second half.
SAMBOU SOUMANO (Lorient)
Senegal-born Soumano came off the bench to salvage a 3-3 draw for hosts Lorient against Brest with an 89th-minute goal. Lorient led a seesaw mid-table clash, then trailed twice before Soumano came to the rescue.
LASSINE SINAYOKO (Auxerre)
Sinayoko put the disappointment of failing to qualify for the 2026 World Cup with Mali behind him as he converted a second-half penalty to earn Auxerre a 2-2 draw at Rennes. The home side had levelled in the opening half through Cameroon-born Swiss international Breel Embolo.
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