African players in Europe: Nigeria AFCON stars shock Man United

Nigeria Africa Cup of Nations stars Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi scored as Fulham shocked Manchester United 2-1 in the Premier League at the weekend.

Defender Bassey gave the London club a second-half lead, and midfielder Iwobi snatched an added-time winner as Fulham won at Old Trafford for the first time since 2003.

Bassey and Iwobi were regular starters for Nigeria at this year’s AFCON, where they finished runners-up behind hosts Ivory Coast.

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

ENGLAND
CALVIN BASSEY, ALEX IWOBI (Fulham)

Bassey slammed home his first goal for the Cottagers midway through the second half to give Fulham the lead. After Harry Maguire levelled, Iwobi scored the winner seven minutes into stoppage time to give Marco Silva’s men their first away league win since the opening weekend of the season.

JORDAN AYEW (Crystal Palace)

Ayew was on target for the second consecutive game as Palace gave new manager Oliver Glasner the perfect start in a 3-0 home win over Burnley. The Ghanaian international tapped home the Eagles’ second goal at the back post for his fourth of the season.

SPAIN
REINILDO MANDAVA (Atletico Madrid)

A cross from the Mozambique defender enabled Angel Correa to give Atletico a second-minute lead in a 2-2 La Liga draw at bottom club Almeria. Reinildo was later yellow-carded in a match where the fourth-placed Madrid outfit twice surrendered the lead.

GERMANY
IHLAS BEBOU (Hoffenheim)

Togo striker Bebou helped his side burst out of the blocks at Borussia Dortmund, scoring after just two minutes in a 3-2 Bundesliga victory. Lightning-quick Bebou took advantage of a mistake from Dortmund captain Emre Can to hammer the ball past goalkeeper Alexander Meyer before the smoke from the pre-match fireworks had cleared.

OMAR MARMOUSH (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Marmoush scored in stoppage time to snatch Eintracht a point against former side Wolfsburg in a 2-2 draw. The Egypt forward collected a Timothy Chandler pass and hit a low shot past Koen Casteels.

FRANCE
PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG (Marseille)

Former African Footballer of the Year and Gabon captain Aubameyang raised his Ligue 1 goal tally this season to eight with a brace in a 4-1 win for ninth-placed Marseille over lowly Montpellier. Senegalese midfielder Iliman Ndiaye also scored for the winners, whose total was completed by an own goal from Malian Falaye Sacko.