Salah kicks off Egyptian goal fest in Europe

PROLIFIC Liverpool scorer Mohamed Salah led an Egyptian goal charge across Europe at the weekend, with Omar Marmoush and Mostafa Mohamed also finding the net.

Salah scored his 200th goal for the Reds and 150th in the Premier League by equalising at Crystal Palace in a match his team went on to win 2-1 in added time.

Marmoush was first to score for Eintracht Frankfurt in a 5-1 thrashing of champions Bayern Munich, and Mohamed equalised for Nantes in a 2-1 loss at Paris Saint-Germain.

Here, we highlight African headline-makers in the major European leagues.

ENGLAND

MOHAMED SALAH (Liverpool)

He scored his 200th goal for Liverpool to spark their fightback against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Just moments after Palace’s Ghana international Jordan Ayew was sent off, Salah hit a deflected 76th-minute equaliser and Harvey Elliott scored the stoppage-time winner to send Liverpool top of the Premier League.

Salah’s 14th goal this term made him the fifth player to score 200 for Liverpool in all competitions after Ian Rush (346), Roger Hunt (285), Gordon Hodgson (241) and Billy Liddell (228).

“The most important thing was that we won the game. It’s a great feeling. I’m happy for the record and that we won the game,” Salah said.

In his 247th Premier League appearance, he also reached 150 goals in the competition, including two scored for Chelsea, putting him in the all-time top-10 list, level with Michael Owen.

ABDOULAYE DOUCOURE (Everton)

The Mali midfielder set Everton on course for a 2-0 win against Chelsea at Goodison Park.

Doucoure, 30, scored his sixth goal this season in the 54th minute, firing home after Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s shot was blocked. Deducted 10 points for financial breaches recently, Sean Dyche’s side has managed to climb out of the relegation zone thanks to Doucoure’s determined efforts.

GERMANY

OMAR MARMOUSH (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Marmoush opened the scoring as Eintracht rampaged to a sensational Bundesliga victory over champions Bayern.

The Egyptian smashed a well-timed shot into the bottom corner after just 12 minutes, kick-starting an extraordinary match in Frankfurt. Marmoush set up two more goals, either side of half-time, while Franco-Cameroonian Junior Dina Ebimbe grabbed a brace as Bayern collapsed.

The defeat left Bayern four points behind league leaders Bayer Leverkusen.

IHLAS BEBOU (Hoffenheim)

Togo international Bebou scored his first goal of the season in Hoffenheim's comfortable 3-1 win over Bochum.

Bebou came on as a substitute to score off a second-half header and put Hoffenheim three goals ahead midway through the second half. Bebou has struggled to hold down a starting place this season, making seven of his 12 appearances from the bench.

FRANCE

MOSTAFA MOHAMED (Nantes)

The Egyptian equalised for mid-table Nantes 10 minutes into the second half at leaders Paris Saint-Germain with a near-post header off a corner. However, a late Randal Kolo Muani goal gave the home side

victory. Mohamed is the leading African scorer in Ligue 1 this season with six goals.

AFP