Paris (AFP) – Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez took his Manchester City goal tally to 11 in all competitions this season by scoring the third in a 4-0 rout of Newcastle United at the weekend.
The winger is among many Premier League stars set to compete at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon from January 9.
Mahrez led Algeria to glory at the last edition in Egypt two years ago, with a second-minute goal earning the north African Desert Foxes a 1-0 final triumph over Senegal.
Here, AFP Sport highlights Africans who starred in the major European leagues.
ENGLAND
RIYAD MAHREZ (Manchester City)
He maintained his hot streak as the champions powered to victory at struggling Newcastle. Mahrez made it three successive games with a goal as he netted in the 63rd minute. The 30-year-old converted Oleksandr Zinchenko’s cross and was able to celebrate after a VAR check.
SPAIN
SAMUEL CHUKWUEZE (Villarreal)
The Nigerian scored deep in added time off a Gerard Moreno assist to complete a 3-1 La Liga victory for Villarreal at Real Sociedad. Success lifted Villarreal to 11th, 21 points behind leaders Real Madrid.
GERMANY
ISHAK BELFODIL (Hertha Berlin)
The Algeria striker beat Axel Witsel and tucked his shot under goalkeeper Marwin Hitz to cancel out Julian Brandt’s opening goal for Borussia Dortmund as Hertha Berlin went on to claim a 3-2 victory. It was Belfodil’s first Bundesliga goal since scoring for former club Hoffenheim in May 2018 and ended a 30-match run without hitting the net.
KEVIN AKPOGUMA (Hoffenheim)
Togo striker Ihlas Bebou came off the bench to provide the last-gasp assist which saw Hoffenheim’s Nigeria defender Akpoguma tap in a stoppage-time equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Borussia Moenchengladbach. It was Akpoguma’s last Hoffenheim game before joining the Nigeria squad for the Africa Cup of Nations while club team-mate Diadie Samassekou has been called up by Mali.
FRANCE
M’BAYE NIANG (Bordeaux)
Senegal international Niang scored four goals as Bordeaux cruised to a 10-0 French Cup last-64 triumph against Jumeaux of Mzouazia, who are based on the island of Mayotte in the Indian Ocean, 7,884 kilometres from Bordeaux.
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