African players in Europe: Wissa’s early strike not enough, Boniface and Inaki shine

Yoane Wissa made a lightning start for Brentford, scoring within just 22 seconds in their Premier League clash over the weekend. However, his early goal proved insufficient as reigning champions Manchester City mounted a comeback to win 2-1 at home. The 28-year-old winger returned to England after aiding the Democratic Republic of Congo in their successful 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Guinea and Ethiopia.

Here's a look at how other African players performed across Europe's top leagues.

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ENGLAND

YOANE WISSA (Brentford)

Wissa continued his impressive form, netting for the third time this season with a header after a mix-up between Manchester City's John Stones and goalkeeper Ederson. However, Brentford couldn't hold onto their lead as City’s Erling Haaland scored twice to seal a 2-1 victory.

MOHAMED SALAH (Liverpool)

For the first time this season, Salah was unable to find the back of the net as Liverpool suffered a surprise 1-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest. The Egyptian had previously scored in each of Arne Slot's first three matches in charge at Liverpool but couldn’t add to his tally in this disappointing result.

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MARIO LEMINA (Wolves)

The Gabonese midfielder opened the scoring for Wolves with a well-taken finish at the end of a counter-attack. Despite taking the lead, Wolves couldn't hold off Newcastle United’s second-half surge, succumbing to a 2-1 defeat after a couple of late goals.

SPAIN

ABDE EZZALZOULI (Real Betis)

Former Barcelona winger Abde Ezzalzouli netted his first La Liga goal of the season with a sharp near-post strike, helping Betis secure a 2-0 victory over Leganes. The Moroccan international had already scored twice in Europa Conference League qualification for Betis against Kryvbas.

INAKI WILLIAMS (Athletic Bilbao)

Ghana international Inaki Williams showcased his playmaking skills in Athletic Bilbao's 3-2 win over Las Palmas, providing three assists. Williams set up Oihan Sancet’s opener, teed up his brother Nico for the second, and played a crucial pass to Aitor Paredes for the third goal, contributing significantly to the Basque side’s victory.

GERMANY

VICTOR BONIFACE (Bayer Leverkusen)

Boniface was on fire, scoring twice as Leverkusen cruised to a 4-1 win against Hoffenheim. Demonstrating his strength, the Nigerian striker held off defenders to blast home both goals.

“He’s loved by his teammates, and he brings great energy to the team,” praised coach Xabi Alonso.

SERHOU GUIRASSY (Borussia Dortmund)

Although Guirassy didn’t get on the scoresheet in his Borussia Dortmund debut, the Guinea international made a notable impact in their 4-2 victory over Heidenheim. Twice, Guirassy cleverly drew defenders away with a step-over, creating space for his teammates to score, showing his unselfishness and tactical awareness.

Boniface scores a brace and puts down his pants to celebrate Bayer's landslide victory (VIDEO)

OMAR MARMOUSH (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Egyptian winger Omar Marmoush scored both goals for Eintracht Frankfurt in their 2-1 win over his former club, Wolfsburg. Marmoush opened the scoring in a counter-attack, despite being booed by Wolfsburg fans, and later secured the victory by converting a penalty with just eight minutes left on the clock.