Sports
Ba, Again Leads Africa’s Performance In Europe
Senegal’s Demba Ba is the English Premier League’s leading
scorer after netting both Newcastle United goals in a 2-2 draw at Reading at
the weekend.
Previously unhappy with the decision of manager Alan Pardew
to use him as a wide striker, Ba has netted five times in three outings. He has
six goals overall.
Malian Jimmy Kebe and Ivorian Gervinho were also on target
in the Premier League, whilst Angolan Manucho struck twice for Valladolid as
they eased to victory in Spain’s La Liga.
ENGLAND
DEMBA BA (Newcastle): The Senegal striker twice equalised in
a 2-2 draw against Reading. His first goal was a sublime volley on the run
following a clipped pass from Ivorian Cheick Tiote. But controversy surrounded
his second when he inadvertently diverted the ball into the net off his hand
with an attempted header.
JIMMY KEBE (Reading): The Malian opened the scoring in the
58th minute when he slotted a low shot inside the near post but the eventual
draw meant his side stay in the bottom three.
GERVINHO (Arsenal): The Ivorian drew the Gunners level
against Chelsea with a well-worked shot that saw him take just one touch before
beating Petr Cech from eight yards, but his goal was not enough to inspire an
Arsenal revival as Chelsea won 2-1. He has scored four goals this season, as
many as he managed for the entire 2011-12 campaign.
FRANCE
FOUED KADIR (Valenciennes): The Algeria midfielder scored
one goal and made another as Valenciennes ended Marseille’s 100 percent start
to the season with a stunning 4-1 win at Stade du Hainaut.
YOUNES BELHANDA (Montpellier): Belhanda broke the deadlock
as defending champions Montpellier won 2-0 at Nancy to register only their
second win of the new season. His Senegalese colleague Souleymane Camara made
the points safe in the final minute with a fine 25-yard drive.
CHEICK DIABATE (Bordeaux): Giant Mali striker Diabate got on
the score-sheet for the first time this season to seal Bordeaux’s
smash-and-grab 2-0 success at previously unbeaten Lyon. The towering
centre-forward out-jumped Mouhamadou Dabo to head home from close range in the
82nd minute, as Francis Gillot’s side extended their unbeaten run to 10 games
in all competitions.
GERMANY
JOEL MATIP (Schalke): The Cameroon international scored his
first goal of the season in a 2-2 draw at Fortuna Dusseldorf. Matip hit the
target with a well-timed header in the 20th minute from a Christian Fuchs
free-kick.
DIDIER YA KONAN (Hanover): Three days after scoring twice in
a 4-1 win over Nuremberg, the Ivory Coast star was kept at bay by the Hamburg
defence in 1-0 defeat. He came close, however, with an acrobatic scissor-kick
which went over the bar.
ITALY
KWADWO ASAMOAH (Juventus): Asamoah was used only as a
second-half substitute by Juventus caretaker coach Massimo Carrera in a 4-1 win
over Roma.
KEVIN PRINCE BOATENG (AC Milan): Boateng showed an improved
performance as the Rossoneri laboured to a 1-1 draw at Parma when they really
should have won the match. Boateng had several attempts on goal, but after
seeing ‘Little Pharaoh’ Stephan El Shaarawy – an Italian who has an Egyptian
father – score for his side the Ghanaian woke to media claims he had been a
“flop”.
SPAIN
ALEX SONG (Barcelona): It was another assured performance at
the back from Cameroon midfielder Song in a 3-2 win over Sevilla, as he
deputises in the absence of regular central defenders Gerard Pique and Carles
Puyol.
MANUCHO (Valladolid): Manucho’s Valladolid future was in
doubt earlier this year, but against Rayo Vallecano the Angolan produced one of
his best performances for the club with two goals in a 6-1 win.
OBAFEMI MARTINS (Levante): After making an immediate impact
with a winning goal in his debut last week against Real Sociedad, it was a
disappointing match for the Nigerian against Osasuna as Levante crashed 4-0. He
showed only glimpses of his pace and his only chance was a first-half header
that was comfortably saved.
Sports
Tottenham’s Miserable Run Continues
Relegation-threatened Tottenham’s miserable 2026 continued as their winless run extended to 10 league games with Fulham gaining a deserved victory to boost their hopes of qualifying for European football.
Fulham, who scored twice in the opening six minutes in their 2-1 win over Spurs in November, again got an early goal with Harry Wilson netting in the seventh minute.
However, the goal was controversial as new Spurs boss Igor Tudor felt it should have been disallowed as home striker Raul Jimenez pushed Radu Dragusin as they challenged for a Kenny Tete cross, before Oscar Bobb picked out Wilson to volley home from six yards out.
Tottenham had a similar goal ruled out last week in their 4-1 loss to Arsenal for a foul by Randal Kolo Muani on Gunners defender Gabriel but, following a check from the video assistant referee (VAR) Craig Pawson, Fulham’s goal was allowed to stand, much to Tudor’s fury.
Spurs, though, had no excuses for the 34th-minute second goal with Alex Iwobi left with space to shoot home superbly from 18 yards out, with the ball going in off the inside of the post after a neat exchange with Wilson.
Sports
City Survive Leeds’ Challenge At Elland Road
Antoine Semenyo scored just before half-time as title-chasing Manchester City escaped Elland Road with victory over an energetic Leeds United.
The hard-earned outcome narrowed Arsenal’s lead to two points at the top of the Premier League.
City travelled to West Yorkshire without their Leeds-born star striker Erling Haaland who was injured in training, and it looked for large periods in the first half that they would rue not having their top goalscorer available.
But Ghana international Semenyo stretched to convert Rayan Ait-Nouri’s fizzed low ball into the penalty area for his sixth City goal since joining from Bournemouth in January.
Leeds will be wondering how they did not score after making a sprightly start and giving City real cause for early concern.
Meanwhile , a clinical Liverpool performance helped them beat battling West Ham in the Premier League and move level on points with fourth-placed Manchester United.
The hosts were 3-0 up at the break thanks to goals from Hugo Ekitike, Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister.
West Ham pulled one back early in the second half through Tomas Soucek before Cody Gakpo restored Liverpool’s three-goal lead in the 70th minute.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side scored again through Taty Castellanos, but an Axel Disasi own goal ensured Liverpool hit five goals in a league game for the first time this season.
Bayern Rebound To Overcome Dortmund In Bundesliga (5)
Harry Kane scored two second-half goals as Bayern Munich came from behind to beat Borussia Dortmund in a thrilling match and move 11 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.
The England striker took his tally to 45 goals in all competitions this season as Bayern became the first team to inflict a home league defeat on Dortmund.
Kane, who passed 500 A clinical Liverpool performance helped them beat battling West Ham in the Premier League and move level on points with fourth-placed Manchester United.
The hosts were 3-0 up at the break thanks to goals from Hugo Ekitike, Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister.
West Ham pulled one back early in the second half through Tomas Soucek before Cody Gakpo restored Liverpool’s three-goal lead in the 70th minute.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side scored again through Taty Castellanos, but an Axel Disasi own goal ensured Liverpool hit five goals in a league game for the first time this season.
All three of the Reds’ first-half goals came from set-pieces – with Arne Slot’s side now leading the table in 2026 when it comes to goals from set-plays (excluding penalties).
In the fifth minute, Ryan Gravenberch teed up Ekitike, who finished smartly to beat Mads Hermansen at the near post for his 16th goal of the season.
West Ham threatened to equalise, but against the run of play Liverpool doubled their advantage when Van Dijk headed in Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner.
The visitors failed to take advantage of Liverpool’s complacency with Konstantinos Mavropanos, Jarrod Bowen and Soucek all wasting chances.
And just before half-time, Mac Allister’s superb volley took a deflection and ended in the back of the net. That was the cue for sections of the travelling support to head for the exits.
Nico Schlotterbeck’s opener.
Dortmund thought they had snatched a point when Daniel Svensson’s thumping volley sent Signal Iduna Park into pandemonium.
But that was until Joshua Kimmich’s strike three minutes from time kept Bayern in pole position to win a 14th title in 15 seasons.
Schlotterbeck headed Dortmund ahead in the 26th minute when he rose highest in a crowded penalty area to connect with Svensson’s free-kick from the left.
Dortmund had the chance to double their lead later in the half when Fabio Silva squared the ball to Maximilian Beier, who was denied by the onrushing Jonas Urbig.
Despite dominating possession in the first half, Bayern – playing with a front three of Kane, Michael Olise and Luis Diaz – were unable to test Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
But Kane equalised early in the second period with a poacher’s effort from inside the area at the end of a slick move involving Kimmich and Serge Gnabry.
Both teams missed chances before Kane scored a penalty – a record 10th in a Bundesliga season – after Josip Stanisic was floored by Schlotterbeck.
Dortmund levelled when Svensson volleyed past Urbig, but Kimmich all but ended their hopes of winning a first title since 2012.
Sports
PSG Extend Lead In Ligue 1
Paris St-Germain stretched their lead at the top of Ligue 1 to four points by claiming a narrow win at Le Havre.
The defending champions hoped to take advantage after second-placed Lens drew at Strasbourg on Friday, and Bradley Barcola gave them a deserved lead shortly before half-time.
PSG had chances to extend their lead and substitute Desire Doue had a late penalty saved by Le Havre goalkeeper Mory Diaw.
Lee Kang-In had an effort saved by Diaw before his right-wing cross was headed home by Barcola for his ninth goal of the season.
Moments later Lee fired wide when through on goal, before PSG winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia fired against a post just after half-time.
Keeper Matvey Safonov made a fine save from Issa Soumare to keep PSG in front, while Diaw denied substitutes Nuno Mendes, Ibrahim Mbaye and Doue.
Diaw parried Doue’s spot-kick low to his right after Doue was brought down by Lucas Gourna-Douath with 11 minutes left.
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