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African Players in Europe: Ghana Trio Score Before World Cup Ties 

Football - Premier League - AFC Bournemouth v Fulham - Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth, Britain - October 3, 2025 AFC Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo celebrates after the match. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - AFC Bournemouth v Fulham - Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth, Britain - October 3, 2025 AFC Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo celebrates after the match. (Reuters)
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African Players in Europe: Ghana Trio Score Before World Cup Ties 

Football - Premier League - AFC Bournemouth v Fulham - Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth, Britain - October 3, 2025 AFC Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo celebrates after the match. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - AFC Bournemouth v Fulham - Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth, Britain - October 3, 2025 AFC Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo celebrates after the match. (Reuters)

Ghana stars Antoine Semenyo, Mohammed Kudus and Inaki Williams warmed up for crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers by scoring in the top European leagues at the weekend.

Semenyo struck twice as Bournemouth beat Fulham and Kudus was the match-winner for Tottenham Hotspur at Leeds United in the Premier League.

Williams converted a penalty to claim his first goal of the season and help Athletic Bilbao beat Mallorca in La Liga.

Ghana need four points from matches against the Central African Republic on Wednesday and the Comoros four days later to qualify for the World Cup.

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

ENGLAND

ANTOINE SEMENYO (Bournemouth)

Semenyo netted twice to inspire the Cherries' 3-1 win. He scored in the 78th minute with a composed finish after easing past Timothy Castagne on the left flank. The Ghanaian struck again six minutes into stoppage time, slotting home in composed fashion to take his league goal tally to six this season.

MOHAMMED KUDUS (Tottenham Hotspur)

Kudus was on target in the second half to seal a 2-1 win at Leeds. Kudus, who joined Tottenham from London rivals West Ham in the close season, bagged his first goal for Thomas Frank's side with a deflected blast from the edge of the area in the 57th minute.

ILIMAN NDIAYE (Everton)

The Senegal midfielder converted a penalty to help Everton end Crystal Palace's long unbeaten run with a 2-1 victory. Ndiaye stroked home from the spot in the 76th minute to cancel Daniel Munoz's first-half opener. The 25-year-old's third goal this season set the stage for Everton to secure their third league win of the campaign through Jack Grealish's stoppage-time strike.

SPAIN

KARL ETTA EYONG (Levante)

Among the usual top scorers in La Liga has emerged Cameroon striker Etta Eyong, enjoying a breakout season at Levante. The 21-year-old netted his fifth of the campaign in a 2-0 win over Real Oviedo, showing a poacher's instinct to dart in and finish from close range after a saved shot spilled back into the six-yard box.

INAKI WILLIAMS (Athletic Bilbao)

Captain Williams won and converted a penalty for Bilbao in their 2-1 win. The striker was kicked in the area and, after dusting himself down, fired home the opener.

AKOR ADAMS (Sevilla)

Nigerian striker Adams applied the finishing touch for Sevilla's fourth goal in a 4-1 rout of champions Barcelona. On as a substitute, it was his second goal in two matches for the improving Andalusian side.

GERMANY

BILAL EL KHANNOUSS (Stuttgart)

El Khannouss' superb solo goal was the difference in a 1-0 win over Heidenheim. Unable to make their superiority count against stubborn opponents, the Moroccan stepped up on 65 minutes, cutting in from the left, dodging several defenders before sliding the ball home.

FRANCE

ANSU FATI (Monaco)/SOFIANE DIOP (Nice)

Guinea-Bissau-born Fati, from two penalties, and Morocco international Diop scored two goals each as Monaco drew 2-2 with 10-man Nice in Ligue 1. Tunisian Ali Al-Abdi was sent off in the 34th minute, soon after Nice had opened the scoring.

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Fleet Races Continue at Arab Sailing Championship in Jeddah

Fleet races continued Sunday at the Arab Sailing Championship for the Optimist class at the Jeddah Sailing Center. (SPA)
Fleet races continued Sunday at the Arab Sailing Championship for the Optimist class at the Jeddah Sailing Center. (SPA)
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Fleet Races Continue at Arab Sailing Championship in Jeddah

Fleet races continued Sunday at the Arab Sailing Championship for the Optimist class at the Jeddah Sailing Center. (SPA)
Fleet races continued Sunday at the Arab Sailing Championship for the Optimist class at the Jeddah Sailing Center. (SPA)

Fleet races continued Sunday at the Arab Sailing Championship for the Optimist class at the Jeddah Sailing Center, with strong competition for the top positions and Arab titles, the Saudi Press Agency said.

After seven races, Jean Luc Soares Herve leads the overall standings, followed by Tong Xuan Ya of the Saudi Optimist team in second place and Saudi sailor Ahmad Alshammari in third.

Under the championship regulations, competition for the titles of Arab champion and Arab female champion is limited to sailors from Arab countries. Alshammari, competing in the under-12 category, leads the standings among sailors eligible for the title of Arab champion.

Egypt's Laila Abdelazim leads the standings among sailors eligible to compete for the title of Arab female champion after placing sixth overall. The list of the top 10 includes four female sailors. The championship, organized by the Saudi Sailing Federation, concludes Monday.

Sports

Resurgent Acosta Beats Martin for Maiden MotoGP Win in Austria

Spanish MotoGP rider Pedro Acosta of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing celebrates after winning the Grand Prix of Austria at the Red Bull Ring race track in Spielberg, Austria, 20 September 2026. EPA/MARTIN DIVISEK
Spanish MotoGP rider Pedro Acosta of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing celebrates after winning the Grand Prix of Austria at the Red Bull Ring race track in Spielberg, Austria, 20 September 2026. EPA/MARTIN DIVISEK
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Resurgent Acosta Beats Martin for Maiden MotoGP Win in Austria

Spanish MotoGP rider Pedro Acosta of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing celebrates after winning the Grand Prix of Austria at the Red Bull Ring race track in Spielberg, Austria, 20 September 2026. EPA/MARTIN DIVISEK
Spanish MotoGP rider Pedro Acosta of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing celebrates after winning the Grand Prix of Austria at the Red Bull Ring race track in Spielberg, Austria, 20 September 2026. EPA/MARTIN DIVISEK

Pedro Acosta claimed the first MotoGP victory of his career in the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday, bouncing back from his sprint-race crash to beat world championship leader Jorge Martin at KTM's home Red Bull Ring circuit.

The 22-year-old Spaniard, who qualified third before crashing out while leading Saturday's sprint, seized the lead from polesitter Martin on lap nine of the 28-lap race and never looked back.

Aprilia's Marco Bezzecchi completed the podium, while Trackhouse rider Ai Ogura finished fourth.

It was an emotional moment for Acosta, nicknamed 'The Shark', who arrived in MotoGP with ⁠huge expectations after ⁠winning the Moto3 world title in 2021 and the Moto2 crown in 2023.

"The first one is always special," Reuters quoted Acosta as saying. "Nice way to close a season like this with KTM in front of all Austrian fans. Super happy for them because they deserve it even more than me."

Acosta is set to leave KTM at the end of 2026 to join the factory Ducati team.

Martin, the 2024 ⁠MotoGP champion, got off to a brilliant start but was overtaken by teammate Bezzecchi for the lead at Turn One on lap two. The 28-year-old responded immediately, reclaiming top spot at Turn Three on the same lap.

However, Acosta's pace proved decisive and he passed Martin for the lead on lap nine before pulling away.

"I want to congratulate Pedro. He fought a lot during the last few years to get this victory. This feeling is amazing for him, so I'm really happy for him," Martin said of his fellow Spaniard.

"For myself, I think I did a great race. I was trying to manage the ⁠fuel. Then Pedro ⁠took me but I thought everything was under control. But step by step, he was stepping away. I tried to push a bit more but my rear tire was completely destroyed. I did my best.

"This is what we have to do every weekend for the rest of the season, and the fight is on. So I am really looking forward to continuing like this."

Martin now has 306 points in the standings, a 12-point lead over compatriot and reigning MotoGP champion Marc Marquez ahead of next month's Japanese Grand Prix. Italian Bezzecchi is third with 264 points.

Marquez endured a frustrating weekend as Ducati lacked the outright pace of the Aprilias. The seven-time MotoGP champion qualified second but slipped back on the opening lap and eventually finished fifth.

Sports

Britain, Zverev-inspired Germany Book Davis Cup Finals Spots

Germany's Alexander Zverev, right, after defeating Croatia's Dino Prizmic in their Davis Cup second qualifying round tennis match in Halle, Germany, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (Christoph Reichwein/dpa via AP)
Germany's Alexander Zverev, right, after defeating Croatia's Dino Prizmic in their Davis Cup second qualifying round tennis match in Halle, Germany, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (Christoph Reichwein/dpa via AP)
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Britain, Zverev-inspired Germany Book Davis Cup Finals Spots

Germany's Alexander Zverev, right, after defeating Croatia's Dino Prizmic in their Davis Cup second qualifying round tennis match in Halle, Germany, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (Christoph Reichwein/dpa via AP)
Germany's Alexander Zverev, right, after defeating Croatia's Dino Prizmic in their Davis Cup second qualifying round tennis match in Halle, Germany, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (Christoph Reichwein/dpa via AP)

Great Britain stamped their ticket to the Davis Cup finals with a 3-0 win over Ecuador in London on Sunday, while US Open champion Alexander Zverev sealed Germany's place in the last eight.

Henry Patten and Neal Skupski wrapped up the victory for Britain with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Diego Hidalgo and Gonzalo Escobar, consolidating the work put in in the singles the day before by debutant Toby Samuel and Arthur Fery.

Top-ranked doubles player Patten and his partner Skupski, the world number three, secured a sole break of serve in the first set to take control against their 91st and 93rd-ranked opponents.

In the second set, the British duo got their noses in front in the ninth game, before promptly serving out for the 10-time Davis Cup champions.

"We're feeling great," Patten said on-court, according to AFP.

"We're very, very happy to get it done on the first match."

On Saturday in the British capital, 23-year-old Samuel overcame Andres Andrade and Wimbledon semi-finalist Fery saw off Alvaro Guillen Meza to set up the victory.

Germany's Zverev then put the elation of claiming the second Grand Slam of his career firmly behind him as he led his country into the finals.

The world number two beat 103rd-ranked Croatian Dino Prizmic 6-2, 6-4 to take Germany one step closer to a first Davis Cup title since 1993.

Zverev broke his 21-year-old opponent three times, without facing a break point himself, to win in 77 minutes in Halle.

The 29-year-old had got the Germans off to a winning start against Croatia on Saturday with a straight-sets success against Matej Dodig.

Prizmic hit back instantly for the away side but Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz's win in the doubles rubber tipped the tie back in Germany's favor.

Spain also stand on the brink of a return to the finals as they lead hosts Chile 2-0 in Santiago following Daniel Merida and Rafael Jodar's victories in Saturday's singles rubbers.

Jaume Munar and Pedro Martinez will meet Tomas Barrios Vera and Alejandro Tabilo in the first of three possible matches on Sunday.

The winners of that final tie will join triple defending champions and finals hosts Italy, as well as Britain, Germany, Czech Republic, South Korea, Austria and Canada in the Davis Cup Final 8, which will run from November 24-29 in Bologna.