African ALL Stars: Hakimi double lifts PSG; Salah and Foster score in the Premier League

Ashraf Hakimi scored a brace of goals for Paris St Germain and Mo Salah ended a four-game goal drought but the pair had contrasting results this past weekend as African players continue to excel in the best leagues in the world.

Here is a round-up of the top performers.

ACHRAF HAKIMI (MOROCCO & PSG)

Next fixtures: Lorient (a) & Nice (h)

For a player who features at right-back, Hakimi gets his fair share of goals and he netted twice in a 10-minute spell to help Paris St Germain to a 3-0 win at Brest on the weekend to stay top of Ligue 1.

The Morocco international now has 60 goals for club and country in his career, and is arguably the best in his position in the world. His first was a lovely volley after a ball over the Brest defence, before he finished into the roof of the net from close range following a scramble in the box. Those were his first goals of the Ligue 1 campaign.

MOHAMMED SALISU (GHANA & MONACO)

Next fixtures: Nantes (a) & Paris FC (h)

Salisu scored the only goal of the game as Monaco won at Toulouse and although they find themselves in sixth in the Ligue 1 table, they are only three points behind leaders PSG. The Ghana defender netted inside three minutes as he powered in a header from a corner. It is just a fourth goal of his league career for a player who has also featured in LaLiga and the Premier League, so a rare but welcome event.

MOHAMED SALAH (EGYPT & LIVERPOOL)

Next fixture: Aston Villa (h)

This season has been a struggle for Salah as he has failed to reach the heady heights of then last campaign, but he broke a four-game scoring drought with a goal against Brentford. The Reds suffered a fourth Premier League loss in a row though as they went down 3-2, piling on the misery for Salah.

He took his goal superbly, controlling a difficult high ball before smashing it into the top corner. That is his third goal of the campaign to go with two assists in nine starts, which for any other player would be perfectly acceptable, but salah has set such high standards in recent years.

DANGO OUATTARA (BURKINA FASO & BRENTFORD)

Next fixture: Crystal Palace (a)

The winger has been superb for Brentford since joining them from Bournemouth and netted the opener in their 3-2 win over Liverpool. It was a superb finish as he hooked the ball into the net on the volley, showing all of his excellent technique. It was his second goal of the campaign but surely there are more to come from a very fine attacking player.

LYLE FOSTER (SOUTH AFRICA & BURNLEY)

Next fixture: Arsenal (h)

Foster had to settle for a place on the bench after he had been a starter this season, but came on to score a dramatic 95th minute winner for Burnley at fellow strugglers Wolves. He was slipped in behind the home defence and showed great composure to lift the ball past the goalkeeper and into the net for his second goal of the campaign to go with an assist. It was a big win for Burnley, who claim back-to-back Premier League victories for the first time since 2022.

MARSHALL MUNETSI (ZIMBABWE & WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS)

Next fixture: Fulham (a)

Munetsi has been one of the stand-out performers for Wolves this season in what has been a horror run of form that leaves them bottom of the Premier League table with without a win. In fact, if you stretch it back to last season, they have taken three of the last 39 points available.

But Munetsi has been a constant threat for opponents and scored his side’s second goal to level the game at 2-2 just before halftime with a neat flick into the net. He now has a goal and an assist in the Premier League, but has also stood out for his work-rate.

CHEMSDINE TALBI (MOROCCO & SUNDERLAND)

Next fixture: Everton (h)

It has been a dream start to the season for promoted Sunderland and they capped that with victory at Stamford Bridge with a 2-1 success against Chelsea. Their winner came very late on through Talbi, who scored his first goal for the club since a move from Club Brugge in Belgium. Brian Brobbey held the ball up well and laid it off for Talbi, who side-footed low into the far corner of the net. He also has an assist this season.

BRYAN MBEUMO (CAMEROON & MANCHESTER UNITED)

Next fixture: Nottingham Forest (a)

Things look to be turning around for Manchester United this season as they completed a third win in a row to bring relief for manager Ruben Amorim. Part of their upturn in form has been thanks to Mbeumo, and he scored two more goals in a 4-2 success at home to Brighton & Hove Albion.

He took a pass from Benjamin Šeško for his first goal and cooly slotted the ball into the goal, before sealing the points late on with a first-time finish from the edge of the box. He now has four goals and an assist in nine Premier League games since moving to Old Trafford from Brentford.

ETTA EYONG (CAMEROON & LEVANTE)

Next fixture: Celta Vigo (h)

Eying moved to joint second in the LaLiga scoring charts with his sixth goal of the campaign as Levante played to a 1-1 draw with Mallorca. Only Kylian Mbappe (11) has managed more goals in the Spanish top flight this season than the Cameroon star.

His goal came after 22 minutes as the ball fell fortuitously to him in the box and he showed great composure to finish from close range. His side could not hold onto the advantage, but he continues to be excellent this season.

ANDRE-FRANK ZAMBO ANGUISSA (CAMEROON & NAPOLI)

Next fixtures: Lecce (a) & Como (h)

Defending champions Napoli picked up what could be a massive victory come the end of the season when they defeated title rivals Inter Milan 3-1 on Saturday and Anguissa got his name on the scoresheet.

He does love a goal against Inter and made the points safe with the third goal as he picked up the ball 35 yards from goal, burst towards the edge of the box and fired in a thunderous strike for his third goal of the campaign to go with an assist.

M’BALA NZOLA (ANGOLA & PISA)

Next fixtures: Lazio (h) & Torina (a)

Nzola thought he had given his Pisa side a famous win at the San Siro against AC Milan when he netted in the 86th minute to make it 2-1 to the visitors, but an injury-time equaliser from Milan meant they had to settle for a point. It was still a good result for Pisa, who are second bottom in the table.

Nzola beat the offside trap, but still needed a magical first touch to create the shooting chance, which he got before burying the ball into the bottom corner of the net. It is his second goal of the season.