Ivory Coast midfielder Franck Kessie came off the bench to score an added-time winner for Barcelona in a 2-1 El Clasico triumph over Real Madrid at the weekend. The dramatic victory confirmed Barca as hot favorites to regain the Spanish title for the first time since 2019.
Kessie often celebrates his goals with a military-style salute — a tribute to his late father, who became a soldier after a professional football career.
Here, AFP Sport highlights African headline-makers in the major European leagues:
ENGLAND
JEFFREY SCHLUPP (Crystal Palace)
Ghana international Schlupp scored a consolation goal for managerless Crystal Palace in their 4-1 defeat at league leaders Arsenal. The 30-year-old midfielder hammered home from close range following a corner in the 63rd minute to make it 3-1 but any faint hopes of an unlikely comeback were quashed when Bukayo Saka restored the home side’s three-goal margin.
EMMANUEL DENNIS (Nottingham Forest)
Nigeria forward Dennis opened the scoring for struggling Nottingham Forest against high-flying Newcastle. Dennis, who joined Forest from Watford this season, latched onto Sven Botman’s back-pass before dinking the ball over Nick Pope in the 26th minute but Alexander Isak struck twice to seal a 2-1 win for the Magpies.
ABDOULAYE DOUCOURE (Everton)
Mali midfielder Doucoure found the net in Everton’s 2-2 draw at Chelsea, nodding over the line to cancel out Joao Felix’s opener. Chelsea restored their lead through a Kai Havertz penalty but Ellis Simms scored a late equaliser, set up by Doucoure.
SPAIN
FRANCK KESSIE (Barcelona)
A low cross from Alejandro Balde set up Kessie at the far post to sweep the ball into the corner of the net. The match-winner gave Barcelona a 12-point advantage with 12 matches remaining.
SAMUEL CHUKWUEZE (Villarreal)
The Nigerian winger continued his fine recent form by opening the scoring in Villarreal’s 3-0 win at Osasuna. Drifting into the area unmarked, Chukwueze kept his cool to volley home Alfonso Pedraza’s pinpoint cross.
Source: eNCA
In other news – President Cyril Ramaphosa doesn’t care about the people: Pearl Thusi
South African-born media personality Pearl Thusi has weighed in on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s leadership a day before the National Shutdown taking place on Monday, 20 March.
In a series of tweets on Sunday, the Queen Sono star slammed the president for load shedding and youth unemployment. Our president doesn’t seem to care about anything… how effective do you think the national shutdown will be?” Pearl Thusi wrote. Learn more
