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.