Bundesliga Strugglers Bochum Appoint Ex-Wolfsburg Boss Hecking as Head Coach

Then Moenchengladbach head coach Dieter Hecking gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and Fortuna Duesseldorf, Germany, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018. (AP)
Then Moenchengladbach head coach Dieter Hecking gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and Fortuna Duesseldorf, Germany, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018. (AP)
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Bundesliga Strugglers Bochum Appoint Ex-Wolfsburg Boss Hecking as Head Coach

Then Moenchengladbach head coach Dieter Hecking gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and Fortuna Duesseldorf, Germany, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018. (AP)
Then Moenchengladbach head coach Dieter Hecking gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and Fortuna Duesseldorf, Germany, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018. (AP)

Bundesliga strugglers VfL Bochum have named former VfL Wolfsburg manager Dieter Hecking as their new head coach on a contract until the end of the season, the club said on Monday.

The 60-year-old replaces fellow German Peter Zeidler, who was fired last month.

Having last managed Nuremberg on a temporary basis in the 2022-23 season, Hecking also had spells at Hamburger SV, Borussia Monchengladbach, among others.

He won the German Cup and Supercup with Wolfsburg in 2015 and was named German Football Manager of the Year that same year.

Bochum are bottom of the table with one point from nine games. Their last match was a 7-2 thrashing at Eintracht Frankfurt and they next host reigning champions Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.



African Players in Europe: Salah Takes Liverpool Back to Top

Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - November 2, 2024 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their second goal. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - November 2, 2024 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their second goal. (Reuters)
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African Players in Europe: Salah Takes Liverpool Back to Top

Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - November 2, 2024 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their second goal. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - November 2, 2024 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their second goal. (Reuters)

Mohamed Salah took Liverpool back to the top of the Premier League with the winning goal as the Reds came from behind to defeat Brighton 2-1 at the weekend.

It was the ninth goal of the season in all competitions for the 32-year-old Egypt captain and two-time African Player of the Year.

The goal came amid continuing speculation over the future of Salah, with his contract due to expire at the end of this season.

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

ENGLAND

MOHAMED SALAH (Liverpool)

The forward struck in the 72nd minute with a superb curling finish from the edge of the area. Liverpool are two points clear of second placed Manchester City after winning eight of their first 10 league games.

JORDAN AYEW (Leicester)

The Ghana forward was the Foxes' last-gasp hero again as he rescued a 1-1 draw at Ipswich. Steve Cooper's side were in danger of losing to winless Ipswich until Ayew came off the bench to strike from close-range deep in stoppage time. Ayew's third goal this season was his first since netting a stoppage-time winner in Leicester's 3-2 victory at Southampton in October.

ANTOINE SEMENYO (Bournemouth)

Ghana winger Semenyo helped the Cherries claim a shock 2-1 win against champions Manchester City. The 24-year-old netted in the ninth minute with a composed finish from Milos Kerkez's cut-back. It was the hosts first win against City at the 22nd attempt.

SPAIN

MUNIR EL HADDADI (Leganes)

Morocco international El Haddadi scored a brilliant goal against Girona in his team's 4-3 defeat. The 29-year-old Spain-born former Barcelona forward cut in from the right and launched a shot into the top corner from distance after 77 minutes having come off the bench just moments earlier. It was his second goal in two matches after netting for Leganes against Ciudad de Lucena in the Copa del Rey.

ITALY

ADEMOLA LOOKMAN (Atalanta)

The London-born Nigerian international grabbed two goals as Atalanta stunned Serie A leaders Napoli 3-0 in the sunshine at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium. Lookman's second goal, a curled shot after shaking off two Napoli defenders, was particularly memorable.

GERMANY

OMAR MARMOUSH (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Marmoush was on fire again in Eintracht Frankfurt's 7-2 demolition of Bundesliga tailenders Bochum, with the Egyptian named man of the match after scoring one goal and creating two. The 25-year-old Egyptian international curled home a free kick on 18 minutes. He has scored 10 goals this season, one less than Bayern Munich and England star Harry Kane.

SERHOU GUIRASSY (Borussia Dortmund)

Guirassy scored the winner as Borussia inflicted a first Bundesliga defeat of the season on RB Leipzig with a 2-1 home win. Probably the only Dortmund player who can hold his head high after recent poor form, Guirassy was a constant threat up front. With the match locked at 1-1 and half an hour remaining, the Guinea international headed in Maximilian Beier's looping cross.

FRANCE

ABDOULAYE TOURE (Le Havre)

Toure played a captain's role by scoring the only goal as Le Havre defeated Montpellier 1-0 in a battle of Ligue 1's bottom two clubs. The France-born Guinea international, who was key in the club's promotion to the top flight for this season, struck from the penalty spot in the 73rd minute after Mali international full-back Falaye Sacko was penalized for handball.