Toure thunderbolt is pick of African goals
Ivorian Yaya Toure, South African StevenPienaar and Kenyan Dennis Oliech were among the African scorers in the top European football leagues at the weekend.
Reigning African Footballer of the Year Toure collected his ninth goal of the season and first since February for deposed English Premier League champions Manchester City with a late thunderbolt in a 2-1 home win over West Ham.
Retired South Africa captain and midfielder Pienaar scored the only goal as Everton edged Fulham while in France Kenya striker Oliech netted in stoppage time to earn struggling Ajaccio a key 2-1 win over Montpellier.
ENGLAND
STEVEN PIENAAR (Everton)
The South Africa midfielder kept his team’s European ambitions alive with the first-half winner in a 1-0 victory over Fulham at Goodison Park. Pienaar produced a cool finish to a fine move involving Leon Osman and Seamus Coleman in the 16th minute. The strike took Pienaar’s goal tally for the season to seven.
YAYA TOURE (Manchester City)
The Ivory Coast midfielder scored one of the best goals of his illustrious career to clinch a 2-1 win over West Ham at Eastlands. Toure lashed an unstoppable shot into the top corner from the edge of the penalty area in the 83rd minute, putting Roberto Mancini’s men two goals in front and killing off the Hammers in the process.
DEMBA BA (Chelsea)
The Senegal striker failed to hit the target in his side’s 2-0 victory against Swansea at Stamford Bridge. Ba was restored to the starting line-up after being rested for the midweek Europa League win over Basle, but the former Newcastle star played second fiddle to Oscar and Frank Lampard, who scored the first-half goals that lifted the Blues into third place.
AROUNA KONE (Wigan)
The Ivory Coast forward drew a blank as the Latics were held to a frustrating 2-2 draw against Tottenham at the DW Stadium. Roberto Martinez’s team recovered from Gareth Bale’s opener to take a 2-1 lead thanks to goals from Emmerson Boyce and Callum McManaman. But with Kone below his best, Wigan couldn’t kill the game off and Tottenham snatched a late equaliser through Boyce’s own goal.
CHEICK TIOTE (Newcastle)
The Ivory Coast midfielder had a day to forget as Newcastle suffered their heaviest home defeat for 88 years in a 6-0 thrashing by Liverpool. Tiote was also involved in a clash with Glen Johnson that saw the Liverpool defender booked, while the Ivorian, who was fortunate to escape punishment in that incident, was eventually substituted in the 65th minute.
Read full report: CAFOnline.com
