BREAKING: Iwobi, Mane and Kudus: What did you miss this weekend?
GOAL highlights the outstanding moments from the continent’s stars in Europe
A truncated Premier League gameweek returned this weekend, with Leicester City’s wretched run of results continuing at Tottenham Hotspur while Everton finally picked up a win this term after a run of four draws on the trot.
In Germany, Sadio Mane ended on the losing side for the first time since signing for Bayern Munich in the summer, with Augsburg extending Die Bayern’s winless domestic streak to four.
In this feature, GOAL’s Seye Omidiora picks out some of the under-the-radar stats you may have missed this week – and explains what they mean for Africa’s biggest stars.
Franck Kessie
Barcelona eased past 10-man Elche 3-0 on Saturday to keep pace with unblemished Real Madrid, but it was not a good outing for Kessie.
On his first start in La Liga, a fifth-minute yellow meant he walked a tightrope and was ultimately replaced at the interlude.
The Ivorian did not win any of his duels in an underwhelming first-half showing and was probably rightly hooked by Xavi to prevent a sending-off.
Jordan Zemura
A dogged Bournemouth secured a hard-fought 1-1 draw at Newcastle United, continuing their impressive run since Scott Parker’s sacking.
Zemura registered his first Premier League assist of the season, having a cross diverted home by an outstretched Philip Billing.
The wide defender will hope to add one more assist before this campaign runs out having set up a solitary strike in the Cherries’ promotion campaign.
Mohamed Kudus
Ajax were beaten for the first time in the Eredivisie this weekend, although Kudus continued his fine goalscoring form, opening the scoring in the 12th minute before AZ Alkmaar rallied to a 2-1 victory.
The in-form Ghana international has found the back of the net in his last five games in all competitions, continuing his strong run of fine performances heading into the international break.
Interestingly, Sunday’s loss at AZ was the first time Kudus hit three shots on target in any game this term, with the forward hitherto requiring only a few attempts to find the back of the net.
Patson Daka
The Zambian was signed for his goalscoring exploits but the forward’s big chance created in Leicester City’s 6-2 thrashing by Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday was his second of the season.
For context, Daka fashioned as many clear-cut chances (two) in the entirety of his debut Premier League season, a tally he has now matched in back-to-back games.
It serves as nothing but a consolation for the cellar-dwelling Foxes, who have lost six league games on the trot.
Sadio Mane
A 1-0 defeat by Augsburg saw Bayern suffer only their first defeat of the season, although the loss extends a run of four games without winning in the Bundesliga.
Mane was shot-shy in the game before his 78th-minute withdrawal, shooting at goal just once at the WWK Arena.
Remarkably, the Senegal superstar was the only one from Bayern’s starting front four who did not miss a clear-cut chance in a frustrating afternoon for Julian Nagelsmann’s men—Leroy Sane (two), Thomas Muller and Jamal Musiala (one each) all failed to convert promising opportunities.
That anomalous run sees Bayern ranked fifth in the standings, five points adrift of early-season overachievers Union Berlin.
Alex Iwobi
Iwobi was directly involved in Everton’s first win of the season, setting up Neal Maupay for the only goal in Sunday’s win over West Ham United.
The in-form midfield man has now assisted two goals in 2022-23, matching last season’s tally after seven game weeks.
Having never set up more than two goals since joining the Toffees in 2019, the most-improved player under Frank Lampard seems primed to surpass that ceiling.
