African Players in Europe: Osimhen, Salah Open Goal Accounts 

 Football - Premier League - Liverpool v AFC Bournemouth - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - August 19, 2023 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their first goal. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Liverpool v AFC Bournemouth - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - August 19, 2023 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their first goal. (Reuters)
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African Players in Europe: Osimhen, Salah Open Goal Accounts 

 Football - Premier League - Liverpool v AFC Bournemouth - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - August 19, 2023 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their first goal. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Liverpool v AFC Bournemouth - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - August 19, 2023 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their first goal. (Reuters)

African stars Victor Osimhen and Mohamed Salah opened their goal accounts for the season as they helped Napoli and Liverpool to league victories at the weekend.

Osimhen, the leading Serie A scorer last season, netted twice in a 3-1 win at Frosinone while Salah atoned for having a penalty parried by tapping in the rebound in a 3-1 victory over Bournemouth.

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

ENGLAND

MOHAMED SALAH (Liverpool)

The Egyptian, who has been voted African Footballer of the Year twice, netted in the 36th minute for a 2-1 Premier League lead as he fired the penalty rebound past Bournemouth captain and goalkeeper Neto.

PAPE SARR (Tottenham)

The Senegal midfielder netted his maiden goal for the north Londoners in their impressive 2-0 win against Manchester United. Sarr steered home from close range in the 49th minute to end the stalemate. The 20-year-old has been given a chance in the heart of midfield by new Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou, and responded with a dynamic display.

YOANE WISSA (Brentford)

The Democratic Republic of Congo forward produced the key moments as the Bees won 3-0 at London rivals Fulham. Pouncing on a mistake from Issa Diop in the 44th minute, Wissa rounded goalkeeper Bernd Leno to score. In the 64th minute, Wissa was pushed by Tim Ream in the area as he attempted to shoot. Ream was given a second yellow card and sent off, and Cameroon forward Bryan Mbeumo netted the penalty and scored again in added time.

SPAIN

INAKI WILLIAMS (Athletic Bilbao)

The Ghana international broke the deadlock in Athletic's 2-0 La Liga win at Osasuna with a finish from close range after being set up by his younger brother Nico Williams. Inaki scored 10 league goals last season, his second best career tally in the Spanish top flight.

ITALY

VICTOR OSIMHEN (Napoli)

Nigeria forward Osimhen started his season where he left off in the last campaign with a super double in Napoli's 3-1 win at promoted Frosinone. The 24-year-old crashed in a rocket shot off the crossbar to put the champions in the lead shortly before the break and sealed the points with a simple finish past Stefano Turati after being sent clear by captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo.

GERMANY

SERHOU GUIRASSY (Stuttgart)

Guinean Guirassy, Stuttgart's top scorer last season, netted twice in a 5-0 home demolition of Bochum. Alongside DR Congo striker Silas Mvumpa, who also scored twice, Guirassy spearheaded a fine attacking display from Stuttgart, who needed a playoff win over Hamburg to avoid relegation last season.

FRANCE

MARSHALL MUNETSI (Reims)

An early headed goal from the Zimbabwean set up Reims for a 2-0 Ligue 1 win over Clermont -- their first of the season after an opening-round defeat. After the visitors failed to clear a corner, Munetsi beat Senegalese goalkeeper Mory Diaw from close range.



Real Madrid Say No Contact with Bayern's Olise

France's forward #11 Michael Olise prepares to take a corner during the 2026 World Cup Group I football match between France and Senegal at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 16, 2026.  (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP)
France's forward #11 Michael Olise prepares to take a corner during the 2026 World Cup Group I football match between France and Senegal at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 16, 2026. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP)
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Real Madrid Say No Contact with Bayern's Olise

France's forward #11 Michael Olise prepares to take a corner during the 2026 World Cup Group I football match between France and Senegal at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 16, 2026.  (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP)
France's forward #11 Michael Olise prepares to take a corner during the 2026 World Cup Group I football match between France and Senegal at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on June 16, 2026. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP)

Spanish giants Real Madrid said Saturday they have not made any contact with Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise over a potential transfer.

The France international, currently at the World Cup, has been linked with Madrid by Spanish media, reporting Los Blancos were considering making a bid of more than 200 million euros ($230m).

"In light of the information published in various media outlets regarding an alleged interest of our club in Bayern Munich player Michael Olise, Real Madrid wishes to clarify that they have not had any direct or indirect contact with the aforementioned footballer, his representatives, or people in his circle," AFP quoted Madrid as saying in a statement.

Madrid said they have an "excellent institutional relationship" with Bayern and said the reports "do not correspond to reality.”

Olise joined Bayern from Crystal Palace in 2024 for around 60 million euros and shone as Vincent Kompany's team won the Bundesliga and reached the Champions League semi-finals.

Real Madrid, who appointed Portuguese veteran Jose Mourinho as coach earlier in June, have made a spate of signings already this summer.

Madrid brought in Bernardo Silva and Ibrahima Konate on free transfers, and spent 55 million euros on Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella.

After going two consecutive seasons without lifting a major trophy, record 15-time Champions League winners Madrid are remodeling their squad.


Bagnaia Dominates Czech Grand Prix Sprint as Bezzecchi Crashes Out

Italian MotoGP rider Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati Lenovo Team in action during the Qualifying Nr.2 session for the Motorcycling Grand Prix of the Czech Republic at Masaryk circuit in Brno, Czech Republic, 20 June 2026. EPA/MARTIN DIVISEK
Italian MotoGP rider Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati Lenovo Team in action during the Qualifying Nr.2 session for the Motorcycling Grand Prix of the Czech Republic at Masaryk circuit in Brno, Czech Republic, 20 June 2026. EPA/MARTIN DIVISEK
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Bagnaia Dominates Czech Grand Prix Sprint as Bezzecchi Crashes Out

Italian MotoGP rider Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati Lenovo Team in action during the Qualifying Nr.2 session for the Motorcycling Grand Prix of the Czech Republic at Masaryk circuit in Brno, Czech Republic, 20 June 2026. EPA/MARTIN DIVISEK
Italian MotoGP rider Francesco Bagnaia of Ducati Lenovo Team in action during the Qualifying Nr.2 session for the Motorcycling Grand Prix of the Czech Republic at Masaryk circuit in Brno, Czech Republic, 20 June 2026. EPA/MARTIN DIVISEK

Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia delivered a commanding performance to win Saturday’s sprint at the Czech Grand Prix, leading from the start to secure his first victory of the 2026 season.

Pole-sitter Ai Ogura, who had set a lap record in qualifying, finished 0.241 seconds behind the Italian in Brno. The win was Bagnaia’s first since Sepang last season.

"It was incredible. I am very happy. The first two laps made everything," Bagnaia told reporters, according to Reuters.

"I ⁠started when I ⁠tried to push open the gap and when I tried to control a bit because the rear degree was not that bad but vibration was huge. So I need to slow down a bit and try to control in ⁠the last two gaps."

Starting from third on the grid, Bagnaia was flawless and took the lead straightaway and never relinquished it, despite pressure from Ogura in the closing stages.

The Japanese rider never managed to close the gap enough to pose a real threat to Bagnaia.

"The performance of the rear tire was really good, but the limitation for me was at the front," Ogura said.

"But ⁠we ⁠will have another chance tomorrow, so we will try again."

Bagnaia's Ducati teammate Marc Marquez climbed from fifth on the grid to complete the podium in third, while VR46 Racing Team’s Fabio Di Giannantonio took fourth place.

Aprilia’s world championship leader Marco Bezzecchi crashed out of a late fifth place, his fourth sprint retirement of the season, as reducing his points advantage, with Jorge Martin, who finished in fifth, now just 15 points behind.


Fritz Rallies Past Zverev to Seal Halle Final Spot

Germany's Alexander Zverev returns the ball to Taylor Fritz of the US during their men's singles semi-final match of the Halle Open ATP tennis tournament in Halle, western Germany, on June 20, 2026. (Photo by CARMEN JASPERSEN / AFP)
Germany's Alexander Zverev returns the ball to Taylor Fritz of the US during their men's singles semi-final match of the Halle Open ATP tennis tournament in Halle, western Germany, on June 20, 2026. (Photo by CARMEN JASPERSEN / AFP)
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Fritz Rallies Past Zverev to Seal Halle Final Spot

Germany's Alexander Zverev returns the ball to Taylor Fritz of the US during their men's singles semi-final match of the Halle Open ATP tennis tournament in Halle, western Germany, on June 20, 2026. (Photo by CARMEN JASPERSEN / AFP)
Germany's Alexander Zverev returns the ball to Taylor Fritz of the US during their men's singles semi-final match of the Halle Open ATP tennis tournament in Halle, western Germany, on June 20, 2026. (Photo by CARMEN JASPERSEN / AFP)

Top seed Alexander Zverev was knocked out of the Halle Open after a battling three-set defeat by American Taylor Fritz in the semi-finals on Saturday.

World number three Zverev, fresh off his maiden Grand Slam title at the French Open, lost 6-7(4) 6-4 7-5 in a match lasting ⁠two hours and ⁠39 minutes.

The German, a finalist at Halle in 2016 and 2017, entered the match with a poor recent record against Fritz, having lost his ⁠previous six meetings with the American.

He made a strong start, securing an early break, but Fritz responded to force a tiebreak, which Zverev won.

Fritz hit back in the second set, turning the momentum decisively in his favor by winning 12 consecutive points and ⁠levelling ⁠the match.

In the decider, both players were locked in a tense battle before Fritz produced a late break to seal victory and book his place in the final.

He will face Germany’s Daniel Altmaier or fellow American Frances Tiafoe in Sunday’s title clash.