Players Abroad: Aubameyang, Hakimi star in Europe

Former African Footballer of the Year Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and teenager Achraf Hakimi were among the African stars in the major European leagues at the weekend.

Gabon striker Aubameyang was belatedly credited with a Borussia Dortmund goal to become the leading all-time Bundesliga scorer with 97 goals.

Morocco defender Hakimi became only the sixth African to score for reigning European champions Real Madrid as they routed Sevilla 5-0 in La Liga.

England
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
The Egypt winger maintained his superb form with a sublime strike in a 1-1 draw against Everton at Anfield. Salah broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute when he curled home from the edge of the penalty area. It was his 13th goal in 12 games and 19th of the season.

Wilfried Bony (Swansea)
The Ivorian international struck with a much-needed goal for his club, himself and manager Paul Clement to secure a 1-0 win over fellow strugglers West Brom. It was the first time since December 2014 that the 28-year-old has scored in back-to-back matches.

Andre Ayew (West Ham)
Their record signing has not rewarded the outlay for him with many eye-catching performances, but although he didn’t score in a 1-0 win over Chelsea, his sublime tackle on Nigerian substitute Victor Moses late in the match all but extinguished the champions hopes of getting even a point.

Spain
Achraf Hakimi (Real Madrid)
Morocco right-back Hakimi fired home his first Madrid goal with an impressive effort from a narrow angle as Real ran riot in thrashing Sevilla 5-0 with all five goals coming before half-time. The 19-year-old, deputizing for suspended Dani Carvajal, did his chances of featuring more regularly for the European champions in 2018 no harm as an inexperienced Madrid backline nullified Sevilla’s threat.

Italy
Franck Kessie (AC Milan)
Ivorian midfielder Kessie played a pivotal role as AC Milan got their first victory under new coach Gennaro Gattuso with a 2-1 win against Bologna. The 20-year-old former Atalanta player bolstered the defence and provided impetus up front.

Germany
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund)
The Gabon striker became the Bundesliga’s all-time top-scorer after belatedly being credited with his 12th goal this season in Borussia Dortmund’s 2-1 defeat at home to Werder Bremen. Shinji Kagawa’s second-half cross hit the arm of Bremen defender Philipp Bargfrede, who was initially credited with an own goal, as Aubameyang scrambled the ball into the net. However, the Bundesliga later credited the goal to Aubameyang, who has now netted 97 times in Germany’s top flight, beating the previous record of Ghanaian Anthony Yeboah, who scored 96 goals for Eintracht Frankfurt and Hamburg.
SALOMON KALOU (Hertha Berlin).

The Ivory Coast veteran striker rescued Hertha with a 91st-minute equalizer off the bench in their 1-1 draw at Augsburg. Kalou came on 11 minutes from time and stabbed the ball home from close range after a corner

France
Firmin Mubele (Rennes)
The 23-year-old Democratic Republic of Congo forward came off the bench to score a late equaliser as Rennes drew 1-1 at Ligue 1 bottom club Metz. It was a fourth goal of the season for Mubele, but a first since August.

Source: AFP