African players in Europe: Salah rescues Reds after special season

Mohamed Salah completed a memorable season by scoring to salvage a 1-1 Premier League draw for champions Liverpool against Crystal Palace in the final round at the weekend.

It was the 29th goal of the season for the Premier League Golden Boot winner and the 32-year-old Egypt captain also claimed 18 assists.

Apart from a record-equalling fourth Golden Boot, Salah won the English football writers and Professional Footballers’ Association player of the year awards.

AFP Sport highlights African headline-makers in the major European leagues:

ENGLAND

MOHAMED SALAH (Liverpool)

Liverpool was heading for defeat when Salah delighted the Anfield faithful by bundling the ball home six minutes from time to help secure a 1-1 draw with FA Cup winners Crystal Palace.

ISMAILA SARR (Crystal Palace)

The Senegal forward threatened to upset Liverpool’s trophy celebrations when he beat Alisson Becker in the ninth minute.

ANTOINE SEMENYO (Bournemouth)

The Ghana forward struck twice in the final 15 minutes to give Bournemouth a 2-0 win over relegated Leicester City. He scored from close range to break the deadlock, then struck with a precise finish from the edge of the area.

AMAD DIALLO (Manchester United)

The exciting young Ivorian winger nodded a superb Bruno Fernandes cross into the net to put United ahead on 73 minutes and they struck again for a 2-0 win over 10-man Aston Villa, who had goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez sent off just before half-time.

MOHAMMED KUDUS (West Ham)

The Ghana star set the seal on the Hammers’ 3-1 win at relegated Ipswich when, after exchanging passes with Guido Rodriguez, he bent a shot beyond goalkeeper Christian Walton in the 87th minute.

BRYAN MBEUMO (Brentford)

The Cameroon striker opened the scoring for the Bees against Wolves with his 20th goal of the season after Algerian international Rayan Ait-Nouri was caught in possession. But a 1-1 draw ended the London club’s slim hopes of European qualification.

MARSHALL MUNETSI (Wolves)

It was the Zimbabwe midfielder who dashed Brentford’s dreams of continental competition with a superb first-time finish from 20 yards into the top corner 15 minutes from time.

SPAIN

YAN DIOMANDE (Leganes)

The 18-year-old winger from the Ivory Coast sparkled as Leganes beat Real Valladolid 3-0 but were still relegated. Diomande teed up Javi Hernandez for the opener and then scored a fine second himself. The winger drove into the box, dodged a defender and finished neatly for his second goal in four matches.

PAPE GUEYE (Villarreal)

Senegal midfielder Gueye doubled his La Liga goals tally for the season with a brace as Villarreal romped to a 4-2 win against Sevilla. His first was a drilled strike from the edge of the box for the Yellow Submarine’s second, and the second a lethal close-range finish to wrap up the win. Gueye has been an important part of Villarreal’s rise to fifth and Champions League qualification.

FRANCE

ACHRAF HAKIMI (Paris Saint-Germain)

Morocco star Hakimi scored before half-time to complete a 3-0 victory for Paris Saint-Germain over Reims in the French Cup final at the Stade de France. The full-back finished a superb move by pushing a Bradley Barcola cross into the net.