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African Players in Europe: Mbeumo Fires Solo Goal as United Draw

06 September 2026, United Kingdom, Liverpool: Manchester United's Bryan Mbeumo celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Everton and Manchester United at Hill Dickinson Stadium. (dpa)
06 September 2026, United Kingdom, Liverpool: Manchester United's Bryan Mbeumo celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Everton and Manchester United at Hill Dickinson Stadium. (dpa)
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African Players in Europe: Mbeumo Fires Solo Goal as United Draw

06 September 2026, United Kingdom, Liverpool: Manchester United's Bryan Mbeumo celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Everton and Manchester United at Hill Dickinson Stadium. (dpa)
06 September 2026, United Kingdom, Liverpool: Manchester United's Bryan Mbeumo celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Everton and Manchester United at Hill Dickinson Stadium. (dpa)

Cameroon striker Bryan Mbeumo scored a superb solo goal for Manchester United, who surrendered the lead twice in a 2-2 Premier League draw against Everton at the weekend.

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

ENGLAND

BRYAN MBEUMO (Manchester United)

Mbeumo struck in the 46th minute, racing through to drill a fierce finish past Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. It was the 27-year-old's second goal in three games this term after scoring in the 5-2 win against Ipswich.

SPAIN

NICOLAS PEPE (Villarreal)

Ivorian winger Pepe opened the scoring for Villarreal with his second goal of the season in a 3-2 La Liga defeat by Deportivo La Coruna. The former Arsenal forward curled home brilliantly to take advantage of Deportivo's goalkeeper coming out and failing to reach the ball.

PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG (Deportivo La Coruna)

Promoted Depor recorded an impressive victory at Villarreal and it was mostly thanks to a sensational display from key striker Aubameyang. The 37-year-old former Gabon international set up goals for Luismi Cruz and Zakaria Eddahchouri to pull the Galician side level. Then, in the final stages, Aubameyang charged through and slid home for his fourth goal in four games.

ITALY

ASSANE DIAO (Como)

Senegal winger Diao scored in each half as Champions League qualifiers Como came from behind to hammer Genoa 4-1 in Serie A. His first goal came from a volley and the second through a shot into the corner of the net.

GERMANY

SERHOU GUIRASSY (Borussia Dortmund)

Guirassy showed the full range of his game when he scored a goal and created another in Borussia's stunning 3-2 comeback Bundesliga win over Hoffenheim. With the hosts 2-0 up, the Guinea international cut the lead by chipping over the Hoffenheim 'keeper with 61 minutes gone. Just five minutes later, Guirassy threaded an expert pass for Fabio Silva to equalize.

BILAL EL KHANNOUSS (Stuttgart)

Moroccan El Khannouss's excellent solo goal stunned Cologne and put Stuttgart on track for a dominant 4-1 victory. The former Leicester player collected the ball well outside the box and nutmegged two Cologne defenders before blasting a low shot into the bottom left corner.

FRANCE

ERNEST NUAMAH (Lyon)

The Ghana winger, who suffered a serious ankle injury last year, completed the scoring on 53 minutes for Lyon in a 3-1 Ligue 1 win over Auxerre. Nuamah won the player-of-the-match award after also setting up the opening goal.

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Sports

PSG Go for Three in a Row as Champions League Returns

28 August 2026, France, Villeneuve-D'ascq: Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique stands on the touchline during the French Ligue 1 soccer match between Lille OSC (LOSC) and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at Pierre Mauroy Stadium. (dpa)
28 August 2026, France, Villeneuve-D'ascq: Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique stands on the touchline during the French Ligue 1 soccer match between Lille OSC (LOSC) and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at Pierre Mauroy Stadium. (dpa)
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PSG Go for Three in a Row as Champions League Returns

28 August 2026, France, Villeneuve-D'ascq: Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique stands on the touchline during the French Ligue 1 soccer match between Lille OSC (LOSC) and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at Pierre Mauroy Stadium. (dpa)
28 August 2026, France, Villeneuve-D'ascq: Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique stands on the touchline during the French Ligue 1 soccer match between Lille OSC (LOSC) and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at Pierre Mauroy Stadium. (dpa)

Another UEFA Champions League season gets going this week with the beginning of the league phase as Paris Saint-Germain bid to join the tiny band of clubs to have won the competition three years running.

PSG successfully defended their title last season when they beat Arsenal on penalties in Budapest, retaining the trophy they won for the first time in their history 12 months earlier.

Luis Enrique's side have already secured their status as one of the competition's greatest teams by winning it back-to-back, something only Real Madrid had previously achieved since the inception of the modern Champions League in 1992.

Winning three in a row would be on another level entirely. Real did exactly that under Zinedine Zidane between 2016 and 2018, The only other teams to manage such a feat are Ajax (1971-73) and Bayern Munich (1974-76), while Madrid also won the first five editions of the European Cup from 1956 to 1960.

"Our objectives are clear. I want to win important trophies and there are none more important than the Champions League," said Luis Enrique, who also led Barcelona to glory in 2015.

The back-to-back titles for the French giants have coincided with the introduction of the new Champions League format, with 36 teams in the league phase now playing eight games against eight different opponents.

The Parisians struggled in the league phase in each of the last two campaigns, finishing outside the top eight and having to come through the additional play-off round to make the last 16.

Tough draws were partly responsible for that, and PSG will face some familiar opponents this time in Manchester City, Barcelona and Aston Villa.

With each passing year, the prospect of a team other than one of Europe's super clubs winning the Champions League seems more remote.

- Arsenal to take next step? -

The Premier League's financial strength means all of its representatives can be expected to feature prominently, with Arsenal chief among them.

Over the last three years, the Gunners have lost in the quarter-finals, the semi-finals, and then the final. There is therefore a logical next step for Mikel Arteta's side,

Arsenal topped the league phase last season with a perfect record. They have a tough start this time away to Napoli.

There are five English clubs involved, with Manchester City and Liverpool joined by the returning Manchester United and Villa.

Bayern Munich are formidable, while Jose Mourinho has returned to Real Madrid charged with the task of leading them back to continental glory. Barcelona are itching to get their hands on the trophy again.

It is hard to see beyond one of those clubs, although Inter Milan could have a say and Atletico Madrid will be desperate to reach a final to be held in their stadium.

- Debutants -

The only club outside Spain, England, Germany, Italy and France to have won the Champions League in the last 30 years remains Mourinho's Porto in 2004.

Plenty of new names will add freshness to the competition, including Como, who finished fourth in Serie A last season under Cesc Fabregas to qualify at the expense of AC Milan and Juventus.

Viking Stavanger are in the Champions League proper for the first time after winning a first Norwegian title in 34 years.

Sabah start with a trip to Old Trafford after winning a first Azerbaijani title and coming through four qualifying ties. Their manager, Valdas Dambrauskas, got into coaching with the money he made appearing on the Lithuanian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire".

"Since I was 12, when I realized I will not be a professional player, I knew I wanted to be a football coach," he said in an interview with Flashscore.

"I cannot guess what would have happened without this game, but I believe I would have found a way to achieve my dream."

Sabah might not qualify for the next stage -- although compatriots Qarabag did that last season -- but just being in the league phase is worth almost 20 million euros ($23.2m) at a minimum, significant sums for clubs from lesser leagues.

The Champions League winners pocket around 90 million euros in prize money, before adding millions more, notably from television -- it is understood PSG earned around 150 million euros for each of their last two victories.

Sports

Alcaraz Builds Steam at US Open, Sabalenka and Noskova Book Showdown

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz serves to USA's Tommy Paul during their men's singles round of 16 tennis match on day eight of the US Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York on September 6, 2026. (AFP)
Spain's Carlos Alcaraz serves to USA's Tommy Paul during their men's singles round of 16 tennis match on day eight of the US Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York on September 6, 2026. (AFP)
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Alcaraz Builds Steam at US Open, Sabalenka and Noskova Book Showdown

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz serves to USA's Tommy Paul during their men's singles round of 16 tennis match on day eight of the US Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York on September 6, 2026. (AFP)
Spain's Carlos Alcaraz serves to USA's Tommy Paul during their men's singles round of 16 tennis match on day eight of the US Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York on September 6, 2026. (AFP)

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz brought the firepower to take his place in the US Open quarter-finals while Aryna Sabalenka and Linda Noskova advanced on Sunday to set up a mouth-watering showdown between two big-hitting Grand Slam winners.

There were high expectations from American fans with seven home favorites scheduled to play across both singles draws, but day session defeats for Tommy Paul and Taylor Townsend dampened spirits slightly in the day session.

But Frances Tiafoe dismantled 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev and fellow American Alex Michelsen beat Tomas Martin Etcheverry to keep the stars and stripes flying high, before Ben Shelton, Jessica Pegula and Emma Navarro sparkled in the evening.

Back to his irresistible best in his comeback tournament after nearly five months out with a wrist injury, second seed Alcaraz unleashed some stunning winners to thump Paul 6-4 6-3 6-4 on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

"I'm really happy to see where my level is right now," Alcaraz ‌told reporters. "Beating Tommy ‌is always great feedback to see where you are, and I'm just really happy with ‌everything ⁠I've done today.

"I ⁠saw the game really well, what I had to do in every moment, using the right things in every moment. Hopefully, I can keep it going."

Alcaraz hit perhaps the best of his many forehand rockets on the day to raise matchpoint and the 23-year-old eased through to send a warning to the depleted men's field in New York, where he is bidding to claim a third title.

"It felt like he's playing at a completely different level than me," Paul said.

"I could have played a lot better and still lost."

The year's final Grand Slam began without injured world number one Jannik Sinner and several other pullouts, while Novak Djokovic's first-round exit have stripped the tournament ⁠of some of its star power.

SABALENKA STAYS STRONG

Top seed Sabalenka earlier broke down the defenses ‌of 96th-ranked American Taylor Townsend to win 6-4 6-3 in a competitive contest ‌that belied the gulf in their rankings, subduing the inventive left-hander with a largely pristine display.

"It was challenging," reigning champion Sabalenka admitted.

"Going through tough ‌challenges and overcoming challenges, it definitely gives you strength and belief that you can do it. These kinds of matches ‌really boost your confidence."

Sixth seed Noskova showed her mettle in a 7-5 5-7 6-4 win over 11th seed Marta Kostyuk, collapsing to the court in relief after sealing the contest with an unreturnable serve on her sixth match point.

The Czech's run is her deepest in New York and continues a remarkable year in which she claimed her maiden Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, becoming the latest major winner from the European country's proven ‌assembly line of talent.

Five American men made the fourth round this year, the most since 1995, as they bid to end a frustrating 23-year wait for a homegrown champion ⁠since Andy Roddick hoisted the glittering ⁠trophy at Flushing Meadows.

But after Paul fell, Tiafoe took down seventh seed Medvedev 7-6(1) 6-4 7-6(6) at a raucous Louis Armstrong Stadium to set up a clash with Michelsen, who beat Tomas Martin Etcheverry 7-6(6) 6-4 6-4 on Grandstand.

Tiafoe is unbeaten in 10 matches at a venue he has dubbed the "people's court" and said he was pleased to finish with his record intact for another year with Arthur Ashe likely to host his next match.

"Armstrong is crazy. It's just an energy thing. Courts, dimensions, everything is the same on every court. Energy is insane. I kept requesting it," Tiafoe added.

"I'm happy I get to leave on the 10-0 record on that court. We'll save it for next year. It's just been fun."

The 22-year-old Michelsen, who has not dropped a set in the tournament, is into his maiden Grand Slam quarter-final.

Eighth seed Shelton outshone Stefanos Tsitsipas under the lights with a 6-2 6-3 6-4 victory to boost home hopes of a first American men's Grand Slam champion in more than two decades, but faces a stern test in the form of Alcaraz.

Fellow American Jessica Pegula clinched a 6-3 6-4 win over Sorana Cirstea, who made her final Grand Slam appearance, before Navarro beat Anna Kalinskaya 6-4 6-2 to set up an all-American quarter-final.

Sports

Mourinho's Real Madrid European Revival Bid Starts with Inter Reunion

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho kicks off his European comeback with Los Blancos against his former club Inter Milan. Thomas COEX / AFP
Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho kicks off his European comeback with Los Blancos against his former club Inter Milan. Thomas COEX / AFP
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Mourinho's Real Madrid European Revival Bid Starts with Inter Reunion

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho kicks off his European comeback with Los Blancos against his former club Inter Milan. Thomas COEX / AFP
Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho kicks off his European comeback with Los Blancos against his former club Inter Milan. Thomas COEX / AFP

When Jose Mourinho left Inter Milan for Real Madrid in the summer of 2010, after leading the Italian outfit to Champions League glory, he was at the peak of his powers.

The Portuguese coach claimed an historic treble with Inter, clinching Serie A in the last week of the season and lifting the Coppa Italia, AFP said.

Inter beat Bayern 2-0 in the Champions League final at Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu stadium, winning the trophy for the first time since 1965 and becoming the first Italian team to win the treble.

The day after the final Mourinho said it was likely his last match in charge and around a week later his appointment at Real Madrid was finalized.

Now 16 years on, and beginning his second stint at Madrid, Mourinho kicks off the record 15-time Champions League winners' European campaign against Inter on Tuesday at the Bernabeu.

Neither the veteran coach nor Inter have been able to reproduce that level of European success since.

Inter have reached the final on two subsequent occasions, beaten in 2023 by Manchester City and then thrashed by Paris Saint-Germain in the 2025 showpiece.

Mourinho was unable to help Real Madrid past the semi-finals and after leaving the club in 2013 has mainly spent his time competing in lower levels of European competition.

The 63-year-old led Manchester United to the Europa League in 2017 and won the Conference League with Roma in 2022.

- Back on top -

Fished out of the relative wilderness by Madrid president Florentino Perez this summer after two seasons without a major trophy for Los Blancos, Mourinho's main task is to return the club to their European throne.

Only five coaches have won the trophy more times than Mourinho, who also lifted it with Porto in 2004 to kickstart his career and earn him passage to Chelsea and Europe's biggest leagues.

"My attraction to Real Madrid is due to its history, its frustrations in recent years and its expectations to win," said Mourinho in 2010, although the same holds true now, after a remarkable period of success ended.

In his first reign Mourinho helped disrupt Pep Guardiola's Barcelona's dominance within Spain but was unable to help Madrid end their wait for a 10th European Cup.

That came under his successor Carlo Ancelotti, who claimed three with Madrid over two spells at the club.

Zinedine Zidane also lifted the trophy three times in consecutive seasons, with Madrid winning six in a remarkable 10-year spell.

Perez credits Mourinho with building the foundations for those trophies.

"I'm glad my work had some positive impact, but the titles belong to Carlo, Zidane, the players, and the fans," said Mourinho.

Madrid's grip on the trophy has loosened during the past two years, knocked out in the quarter-finals by Arsenal in 2025 and last season they were eliminated by Bayern Munich in the last 16.

Mourinho's challenge is to prove both he and Real Madrid still can rule among Europe's elite, and stopping Luis Enrique's PSG retaining it for a third year running.

"Finishing without trophies at Real Madrid is not a successful season," said Mourinho in August.

The coach's second stint at Madrid started smoothly with three wins from three games, but on Friday they fell to their first defeat, 1-0 at Real Betis.

Inter's visit to the Spanish capital will be an early test of whether Mourinho can restore Madrid's European fortunes, against the club with which he last reached the pinnacle of the competition.