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Leagues are winding down across the Old Continent, and you can bet Africans are having a say in title races as well as relegation scraps.
ITALY
The biggest African football story in the past five days has had to be unsavoury, with former Ghana star Sulley Muntari commanding global headlines with his walking off gesture at the weekend. The player was featuring for club side Pescara when he walked off the pitch in protest during his team’s 1-0 defeat by Cagliari following racist abuse.
With the match ref instead showing the Ghanaian a yellow card, several high profiles people and organizations in and out of football have reacted in his defense.
Alfred Duncan, also Ghanaian, helped his Sassuolo side win away at Empoli, 3-1 while rising Senegalese star Keita Balde kept burnishing his reputation after last week’s heroics when he nicked a hattrick. This time, in the Rome Derby, the West African scored twice as Lazio beat Roma 2-1.
Algeria’s Saphir Taider got his second Serie A goal this season as Bologna won 4-0 at home against Udinese, while Gabon’s Mario Lemina’s Juventus managed a 2-2 draw away at Atalanta. Lemina would come on as a sub for the Old Lady on Wednesday as they efficiently beat Monaco in France 2-0, to take a giant step toward the Champions League final.
ENGLAND
North London is definitely white, as Tottenham Hotspur sealed a famous 2-0 win against Arsenal, with Kenya’s Victor Wanyama taking pride of place is marshalling the midfield. That win, despite its significance as the guarantee to finish above Arsenal for the first time since 1994, would have been sweeter had Chelsea slipped.
Chelsea, at the top, however would not be scared of the Spurs onslaught as the Blues – where Nigeria’s Victor Moses plays – dismembered Everton 3-0 at the Goodison to keep themselves four points clear.
On the other end of the table, Sunderland have been relegated after a 1-0 loss to Bournemouth following a dismal season – and with them, their squad of Africans. Can they keep Victor Anichebe (Nigeria), Didier N’Dong (Gabon), Lamine Kone (Cote d’Ivoire), Wahbi Khazri (Tunisia), and Steven Pienaar (South Africa) as coach David Moyes has pledged to stay with the team in the championship?
Elsewhere, Benin international Rudy Gestede saw his Middlesbrough side get a priceless 2-2 draw with Manchester City. Meanwhile, Ghana’s Jordan Ayew – after being relegated from the top flight with Villa last season – heaved a sigh as Swansea got a late equaliser against Manchester United.
SPAIN
Ghana star Kevin-Prince Boateng put a blot on an otherwise very decent season of 10 La Liga goals in 27 games, when he saw red against Atletico Madrid, who won against his Las Palmas side 5-0. Boateng’s Ghanaian counterpart, Thomas Partey, was happier as he scored Atleti’s fourth.
Speaking of happiness, one would not find many happier Africans in Spain than Cedric Bakambu. The Congolese speedster got rave reviews last season, and then became quiet for much of this campaign, scoring just four from the start of the season. And then, from the beginning of April, he has come to life with six goals in his last five games. The latest was a double as Villarreal stormed to a 3-1 win against Sporting Gijon.
GERMANY
Gabon star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has specialized in being in the Bundesliga’s top scoring charts in the last few years, but he has been severely threatened by the marauding Robert Lewandowski.
The Polish hitman scored twice, taking his season’s tally to 28, one ahead of the former African Player of the Year. Bayern beat Wolfsburg 6-0 to seal the title once and for all in an enthralling season where RB Leipzig, who have Guinea midfielder Naby Keita in their ranks, have provided an unorthodox challenge for the Bavarian giants.
FRANCE
Before Monaco succumbed to a 2-0 Champions League defeat to Juventus on Wednesday, they had brushed off Toulouse 3-1 to go closer to the Ligue 1 crown. Morocco’s Nabil Dirar had a good game, including providing an assist for Kylian Mbappe.
But it was not a good game for Toulouse keeper Alban Lafont; the Burkinabe was jittery all game. Fellow title challengers PSG were stunned 3-1 by Nice, whose Moroccan Younes Belhanda had an assist. Paris’ defender Serge Aurier got 65 minutes.
Cheikh Ndoye could not stop Angers losing 2-1 to Lyon, although the Senegalese got his side’s only goal.
There was more Senegalese involvement in the north of France, where relegation is staring Metz in the face. Ismaila Sarr and Opa Nguette both scored crucial goals for their side who beat Nancy 2-1. Metz are now 15
th while Nancy drop to 19
th, with only Bastia below them.