African players round up: Mahrez finally gets it right 

Riyad Mahrez finally broke his goal duck this season in Manchester City‘s 4-0 win over Southampton on Saturday.

After eight appearances, the Algerian skipper finally remembered how to score in what also turned up to be a forgettable weekend for Egyptian star Mohamed Salah whose side Liverpool lost 3-2 to Arsenal.

Salah has been a pale shadow of himself in terms of scoring since the season started.

FARPost rounds up how Africans plying their trade in Europe performed over the weekend.

Riyad Mahrez [Manchester City]

Algeria skipper Riyad Mahrez finally opened his goal account for Manchester City when they thrashed Southampton 4-0 on Saturday.

Defender Joao Cancelo thrust the England champions ahead, followed by a routine finish by informing Phil Foden, who scored his fifth goal in three games.

Mahrez then got his chance to score and extend the team’s lead with his first goal of the season. Norway hotshot Erling Haaland scored their fourth and final goal.

Patson Daka [Leicester City] 

Zambian forward Patson Daka put up a sterling performance, albeit in Leicester City’s 2-1 defeat at the hands of AFC Bournemouth on Saturday.

Daka was so good that even the former England coach Glenn Hoddle labelled him Jamie Vardy’s heir at the club.

The former RB Salzburg striker scored the opening goal of the match, the only one for the foxes in this one.

However, his effort was outpowered by a massive second-half onslaught from the Cherries, who struck twice courtesy of Philip Billing and Ryan Christie to walk away with maximum points.

Boulaye Dia [Salernitana]

In the Italian Serie A, Senegalese Boulaye Dia was the toast of the evening for Salernitana after a last-gasp goal that all but helped them account for the scalp of Verona.

Dia rose from the bench to score the winning goal for the league newbies as the two sides were deadlocked at 1-1 following Salernitana’s opener from Krzysztof Piatek and Josh Depaoli’s equaliser.

Ademola Lookman [Atalanta]

Ademola Lookman was on target on Sunday for Atalanta when they survived a massive onslaught from Udinese, who came back from two goals down to settle for a share of spoils.

Lookman scored 11 minutes after the halftime break, and Luis Muriel doubled the scores moments later.

However, two beautiful goals from Gerard Deulofeu and Nehuen Perez burst Atalanta’s bubble and helped Udinese secure a point against the table toppers.

El Bilal Touré [Almeria] 

Malian attacker El Bilal Toure scored a brilliant goal in Almeria’s 3-1 win over Rayo Vallecano.

Toure unleashed a right-footed strike from near the centre circle to the top left corner to beat the Rayo Vallecano goalie, who remained rooted at one spot. 

Mouctar Diakhaby [Valencia]

Guinea International Mouctar Diakhaby was on target for Valencia on Friday when they edged Osasuna 2-1.

Justin Kluivert fired home from close range to set Valencia on their way, and the lead was extended by Diakhaby, who was, however, red-carded in the penultimate minutes of the game.

For Osasuna, Darko Brasanac scored the consolation goal.

Terem Moffi [Lorient]

Nigerian forward Terem Moffi hit a brace for Lorient as they climbed to second position in the French Ligue 1 standings.

Lorient beat Brest 2-1 after coming back from behind to claim maximum points.

First, Moffi volleyed the ball home in the 23rd minute before completing his brace eight minutes into the second half.

He is now tied on eight league goals with the PSG pair of Kylian Mbappe and Neymar as the leading goal scorers.

Andy Delort [Nice]

Algerian midfielder Andy Delort grabbed a goal in Nice’s 3-2 win over Troyes, although they remained in the basement of the Ligue 1 standings.

Goals from Mattia Viti, Delort and Nicolas Pepe were all Nice needed to collect maximum points.

Habib Diallo [Strasbourg]

Senegalese international Habib Diallo was also on the scoresheet on Saturday as Strasbourg made light work of Angers.

They won 3-2 courtesy of goals scored by Kevin Gameiro and Habib Diallo and an own-goal from Miha Blazic. The result condemned Angers to the relegation zone.

Saîf-Eddine Khaoui [Clermont]

Grejohn Kyei scored a goal and assisted Tunisian forward Said-Eddine Khaoui as Clermont beat Auxerre 2-1 on Sunday.

Jubal Rocha scored the consolation goal for the newly promoted Auxerre. For Khaoui, this was his first goal of the season.