African ALL Stars: Iwobi sinks Liverpool as Diakhaby helps down Real Madrid

Former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi came back to haunt Liverpool with a match-winning performance for Fulham as Africa’s leading stars made their mark in topflight leagues in Europe.

Here is a selection of the best performers at home and abroad.

ALEX IWOBI (NIGERIA & FULHAM)

Iwobi grabbed a goal and an assist within five first half minutes as Fulham stunned runaway leaders Liverpool with a 3-2 success at Craven Cottage. It is unlikely to stop The Red winning the Premier League title this season, but it a major boost to Fulham’s hopes of European football next season.

His goal just past the half-mark had a touch of good fortune as Liverpool defender Alan Robertson twice gave him the ball and on the second occasion he rifled it into the back of the net.

The Nigeria international then laid on Fulham’s third for Rodrigo Muniz as Liverpool again failed to clear. That is now eight goals and five assists for Iwobi in the Premier League this season. Fulham are up to eighth and only four points off the Champions League places.

ILIMAN NDIAYE (SENEGAL & EVERTON)

Ndiaye made his first start for almost two months after recovering from a knee injury and handed a blow to Arsenal’s title chances as he equalised for Everton with a second half penalty. He was lively throughout and showed just what Everton have missed with him sidelined, even as their form improved under manager David Moyes.

Ndiaye feels like a key player in the rebuild at the club as they move to a new stadium next season. That is now seven goals in 23 starts in the Premier League for the winger, and nine in all competitions this season.

MOHAMMED KUDUS (GHANA & WEST HAM)

West Ham United’s topsy-turvy form continued as they played to a roller-coaster 2-2 draw with Bournemouth on Saturday, first falling behind, then taking the lead and finally having to settle for a draw. Kudus provided the assist for their second goal with a brilliant piece of wing play as he beat his man at the byline and put in across that was perfect for Jarrod Bowen to steer into the net.

It was an assist that showed all the finest qualities of the Ghanaian. The 24-year-old now has two assists to go with three goals this season and will hope perhaps to have a strong finish to the campaign to boost those numbers and get West Ham up the table.

YANKUBA MINTEH (GAMBIA & BRIGHTON)

Minteh continued his fine personal form this season as he laid on an assist for Brighton & Hove Albion, but his side slipped to a 2-1 defeat against rivals Crystal Palace in a game that had three red cards. This fixture is by no means a local derby, but has been a grudge match since the 1970s and is played with no shortage of passion.

The Gambian provided a cross for Danny Welbeck to stretch out a leg and score to make it 1-1, though palace would have the last laugh. It is another assists for Minteh, who now has four to go with five goals in 14 starts this season (and 11 sub appearances).

KAMALDEEN SULEMANA (GHANA & SOUTHAMPTON)

Southampton had their relegation confirmed on Sunday, the earliest any team has gone down in Premier League history. They lost 3-1 at Tottenham Hotspur to have the inevitable runner-stamped with their 10 points from 31 games simply not good enough.

How they use the players in the remainder of the season will be interesting, but they may as well begin building for the Championship.

Sulemana grabbed a late assist as he lifted the ball to Mateus Fernandes at the back post and the latter finished. It is questionable whether either will be with The Saints next season. It was a first assist of the season for Sulemana to go with a single goal in 10 starts and nine sub appearances.

MOUCTAR DIAKHABY (GUINEA & VALENCIA)

Valencia stunned title-chasing Real Madrid with their first victory at the Santiago Bernabeu in 17 years and Diakhaby, who has featured little this season after a long-term knee injury, played his part with the opening goal. A third win in four LaLiga games moves Valencia seven points clear of the drop zone and they can start to breathe easier, though the job is not quite done yet after a horror season.

Diakhaby turned the ball home from a corner kick on 15 minuets to give his side the lead after Vinicius Jnr had earlier missed a penalty. The Real Madrid man did score later on, but Hugo Duro’s 95th minute winners sealed a famous victory for Valencia. Guinea defender Diakhaby scored his second goal in three LaLiga starts to go with four sub appearances.

CHRISTANTUS UCHE (NIGERIA & GETAFE)

Getafe cruised to a 4-0 win over bottom side Real Valladolid and Nigeria star Uche provided two assists to help them a victory that keeps alive their slender hopes of European football next season. Uche laid on the first two goals inside the opening 19 minutes as he flicked on a long throw for Mauro Arambarri to score after 50-odd seconds.

He then lain on a perfect pass for Ramon Terrats to run onto and score with a first-time shot as Getafe dominated the game. Uche now has five assists to go with his three goals in 25 LaLiga starts and three sub appearances.

ASSANE DIAO (SENEGAL & COMO)

Como took a giant step towards ensuing they will be a Serie A side next season when they defeated bottom side Monza3-1 to move nine points clear of the drop zone with seven games to play. Diao was central to their success with a goal and an assist.

After Monza had taken the lead, Diao fed Nanitamo Ikoné on the right wing and he cut back inside before firing a low shot into the net to equalise. He then showed quick feet to work a shooting chance in the box and drill the ball into the back of the net from eight yards.

The 19-year-old Diao looks a real talent and Como will do well to hold onto him despite the fact he only arro9ved in January from Real Betis in Spain. He now has six goals and an assist in 12 starts and one sub appearance in Serie A.

FISAYO DELE-BASHIRU (NIGERIA & LAZIO)

Lazio claimed a 1-0 win at Atalanta, whose season is stuttering after a third Serie A defeat in a row. Nigeria’s Dele-Bashiru provided the assist for the winning Lazio goal scored by Gustav Isaksen nine minutes into the second half as his cushioned header into the path of his teammate was perfect for the latter to slide the ball home. It was a first assist of the season to go with three goals for Dele-Bashiru in 10 starts and eight sub appearances.

NKOSINATHI SIBISI (SOUTH AFRICA & ORLANDO PIRATES)

Orlando Pirates stayed on track to make the Betway Premiership title race a two-horse race as they picked up a win at Polokwane City to move to within 12 points of leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, but with three games in hand. With Sundowns likely to lose the three points they gained earlier in the season against ailing Royal AM, that gap will close further.

Centre-back Sibisi claimed his second goal of the campaign but just the sixth of his topflight career as the captain bundled the ball home after Polokwane goalkeeper Brian Bwoire failed to collect a free-kick. Sibisi had not scored in the Betway since August 2022 before he netted against Chippa United last month.