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African Players in Europe: Salah off to AFCON amid Uncertainty 

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah looks on during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (AP)
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah looks on during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (AP)
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African Players in Europe: Salah off to AFCON amid Uncertainty 

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah looks on during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (AP)
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah looks on during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (AP)

Mohamed Salah heads for Morocco this week to captain Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) amid uncertainty over his future at Liverpool.

Salah came off the bench midway through the first half and set up the second goal in a 2-0 Premier League win over Brighton at the weekend.

After the match, manager Arne Slot said there was "no issue to resolve" with his star forward, but speculation continues to rumble over the Egyptian's future after his outburst last weekend.

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

ENGLAND

MOHAMED SALAH (Liverpool)

The 33-year-old came on as a substitute and seized his chance by setting up Liverpool's second goal for Hugo Ekitike. Salah had been left out of Liverpool's squad for Tuesday's Champions League victory at Inter Milan after his explosive rant about Slot following the recent draw at Leeds. That was the third successive game that Salah had been left on the bench and his furious claim that he had been "thrown under the bus" hinted at a potential departure from the troubled Premier League champions during the January transfer window.

CALVIN BASSEY (Fulham)

The Nigeria defender scored in his side's 3-2 win at Burnley. Bassey grabbed Fulham's second goal to put them 2-1 up in the 31st minute en route to their first victory at Turf Moor since 1951. The 25-year-old's close-range header from Harry Wilson's cross was his first goal since an FA Cup tie against Manchester United in March.

IBRAHIM SANGARE (Nottingham Forest)

The Ivory Coast midfielder capped his side's 3-0 victory over Tottenham with the final goal. Sangare netted in the 79th minute at the City Ground, bending a superb strike in off the post with the outside of his foot. The 28-year-old's second goal this season -- and his first in seven matches -- helped boost Forest's bid to avoid relegation.

SPAIN

AKOR ADAMS, CHIDERA EJUKE (Sevilla)

Nigerians Adams and Ejuke celebrated AFCON call-ups with a goal each as Sevilla hammered Real Oviedo 4-0 in La Liga. Adams opened the scoring in the fourth minute and Ejuke completed the rout with one minute of regular time remaining.

GERMANY

MOHAMED AMOURA (Wolfsburg)

Amoura scored for the second straight match in Wolfburg's 3-1 Bundesliga win at Borussia Moenchengladbach. With the teams level after 34 minutes, Amoura was on the spot to blast in a deflected Christian Eriksen cross, putting the visitors back in front. The 25-year-old has six goals and two assists for Wolfsburg in the league this season.

RAMY BENSEBAINI (Borussia Dortmund)

Borussia defender Bensebaini scored his side's only goal in a disappointing 1-1 draw at Freiburg. With Dortmund teammate and Guinea international Serhou Guirassy struggling in front of goal and missing chances, Bensebaini took matters into his own hands with 31 minutes gone. The Algerian latched onto a Yan Couto free-kick and blasted home from close range.

FRANCE

HIMAD ABDELLI, HAROUNA DJIBIRIN (Angers)

Algerian Abdelli converted an early penalty and Cameroonian Djibirin restored a two-goal lead on 85 minutes as mid-table Angers trounced lowly Nantes 4-1 in Ligue 1. Both Africans were scoring their second goals of the league campaign.

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Sports

Naomi Osaka withdraws from Australian Open before third round because of injury

TOPSHOT - Japan's Naomi Osaka attends a press conference after winning her women's singles match against Romania's Sorana Cirstea on day five of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 22, 2026. (Photo by WILLIAM WEST / AFP)
TOPSHOT - Japan's Naomi Osaka attends a press conference after winning her women's singles match against Romania's Sorana Cirstea on day five of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 22, 2026. (Photo by WILLIAM WEST / AFP)
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Naomi Osaka withdraws from Australian Open before third round because of injury

TOPSHOT - Japan's Naomi Osaka attends a press conference after winning her women's singles match against Romania's Sorana Cirstea on day five of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 22, 2026. (Photo by WILLIAM WEST / AFP)
TOPSHOT - Japan's Naomi Osaka attends a press conference after winning her women's singles match against Romania's Sorana Cirstea on day five of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 22, 2026. (Photo by WILLIAM WEST / AFP)

Naomi Osaka withdrew from the Australian Open before her scheduled third-round match against Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis on Saturday, ending a campaign noted strikingly for fashion and friction.

The two-time Australian Open champion announced it on social media without divulging her injury, posting on Instagram that she had to withdraw “to address something my body needs attention for after my last match.”

“I was so excited to keep going and this run meant the most to me, so having to stop here breaks my heart," Osaka posted, “but I can't risk doing any further damage so I can get back on the court.”

In comments later published by the tournament, Osaka said she had a left abdominal issue.

“It’s an injury I’ve had a couple of times before, and I thought I could push through it,” she said. “I played my last match with some pain, and I thought maybe if I gave myself a break before my match today, I would be able to handle it. But I warmed up, and it got a lot worse.”

The 28-year-old four-time major winner said she'd need more tests before deciding on long-term treatment.

“Obviously I think coming back from pregnancy, my body changed quite a lot,” she said. “So this is something I have to be really cautious of."

Osaka had a daughter, Shai, in July 2023 during a 15-month break from the tour. She returned to competition in 2024 and made it back to the semifinals of a major for the first time at last year's US Open.

“I’m just grateful to be otherwise very healthy," she said, "and I hope that I’m able to play some good tennis for the rest of the year.”

Osaka's grand entrance to the tournament earlier this week went viral, when she walked onto the court for her first-round match wearing a wide-brim hat, a veil and holding a white parasol — a design she said her clothing sponsor, Nike, let her create.

In the second round, Osaka fended off Sorana Cirstea in a tense 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 win at Margaret Court Arena that ended acrimoniously.

The pair barely exchanged a handshake over the net, with Cirstea glancing in Osaka’s direction briefly and then turning her head away.

As they walked toward the umpire’s chair, Osaka asked, “What was that for?”

Cirstea responded directly to the four-time Grand Slam champion, upset with Osaka’s efforts to pump herself up at stages during the match.

“Apparently a lot of ‘C’mons’ that she was angry about,” Osaka said, “but whatever. I think this was her last Australian Open so, OK, sorry she was mad about it.”

Osaka won the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021. She won two other Grand Slam titles at the U.S. Open, where she beat Serena Williams in the 2018 final and won again in 2020.

She was seeded 16th for this tournament and was set to play Inglis, ranked No. 168, in a night match on Rod Laver Arena.

Inglis will next face No. 2-ranked Iga Świątek, who had a 6-1, 1-6, 6-1 win later Saturday over No. 31 Anna Kalinskaya.

In an on-court interview following the match, Swiatek was told of Osaka's withdrawal.

“Hopefully Naomi is well. She was playing great,” said Swiatek, who is in Australia bidding to complete a career Grand Slam. “It’s exciting to be in a fourth round again.”

To the crowd, she said: “Hopefully you’re not going to be so harsh for me if I’m playing an Australian!”

Sports

Anisimova Ramps Up Melbourne Title Bid with Imperious Win

Amanda Anisimova hits a return against fellow American Peyton Stearns. WILLIAM WEST / AFP
Amanda Anisimova hits a return against fellow American Peyton Stearns. WILLIAM WEST / AFP
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Anisimova Ramps Up Melbourne Title Bid with Imperious Win

Amanda Anisimova hits a return against fellow American Peyton Stearns. WILLIAM WEST / AFP
Amanda Anisimova hits a return against fellow American Peyton Stearns. WILLIAM WEST / AFP

Amanda Anisimova ramped up her Australian Open title charge with a 6-1, 6-4 beating of fellow American Peyton Stearns on Saturday to reach the last 16 in imperious fashion.

The fourth seed defied a Melbourne Park heatwave to run out a comfortable winner in 71 minutes in roasting sunshine.

The impressive 24-year-old will play either 13th-seed Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic or China's Wang Xinyu for a place in the quarter-finals.

Anisimova enjoyed a breakout year in 2025, reaching finals at Wimbledon and the US Open, and is aiming to go one better in 2026.

"Super-hot today," Anisimova said in her on-court interview, which she conducted wrapped in an ice towel.

"I had a lot of fun today playing in front of you guys, especially a lot of American supporters.

Anisimova steamrollered the 68th-ranked Stearns in the first set at Margaret Court Arena.

The 24-year-old Stearns held up the victory charge in the second set as Anisimova wobbled on her serve.

The world number four looked briefly rattled as Stearns won three games in a row after trailing 5-1.

It only delayed the inevitable, but not before Anisimova racked up a seventh double fault.

"We were just battling it out there at the end," said Anisimova, who is yet to drop a set in three matches at the first major of the season.

She defeated Switzerland's Simona Waltert 6-3, 6-2 in her opener and dismissed Katerina Siniakova 6-1, 6-4 in round two.

Sports

Arteta Wary of Revitalized Man United Against ‘Far from Perfect’ Arsenal

Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta applauds at the end of the UEFA Champions League, league phase day 7, football match between Inter Milan and Arsenal at San Siro stadium in Milan, northern Italy, on January 20, 2026. (AFP)
Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta applauds at the end of the UEFA Champions League, league phase day 7, football match between Inter Milan and Arsenal at San Siro stadium in Milan, northern Italy, on January 20, 2026. (AFP)
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Arteta Wary of Revitalized Man United Against ‘Far from Perfect’ Arsenal

Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta applauds at the end of the UEFA Champions League, league phase day 7, football match between Inter Milan and Arsenal at San Siro stadium in Milan, northern Italy, on January 20, 2026. (AFP)
Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta applauds at the end of the UEFA Champions League, league phase day 7, football match between Inter Milan and Arsenal at San Siro stadium in Milan, northern Italy, on January 20, 2026. (AFP)

Arsenal welcomed the return of Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie to training ahead of Sunday's match against Manchester United, but manager Mikel Arteta flagged concerns over their opponents' renewed intensity under Michael Carrick.

United beat second-placed Manchester City 2-0 last weekend under the guidance of interim manager Carrick, extending Arsenal's lead at the top of the table to seven points.

Arteta acknowledged the challenge posed by United compared to Arsenal's 1-0 victory in their August meeting.

"Yes, with Michael coming in it's going to bring new ideas, the intensity rises up, you could see in the Manchester derby with their behavior and the game that they played," Arteta told reporters on Friday.

"We expect a tough ‌match but we ‌will adapt to that for sure, we are ‌at ⁠home, and we ‌know how important that is going to be for us."

Arteta was unsure whether Calafiori, out since last month with a muscle injury, and Hincapie, who suffered a groin injury earlier this month, will be ready to join Arsenal's defense this weekend after returning to training on Friday.

"We still have another training session, so we'll see tomorrow after that," he said.

Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyokeres are competing for a ⁠place in the starting lineup after both forwards impressed in Tuesday's 3-1 Champions League win against ‌Inter Milan. Jesus scored twice, while substitute Gyokeres also ‍found the net.

"We were waiting for ‍that with the amount of games that are coming up, and they ‍are all going to have opportunities and minutes, so great to have them back and especially to have them in good form," he said.

The manager added that forward Kai Havertz is nearing full recovery, leaving winger Max Dowman as the sole player sidelined by injury.

Arteta also addressed Arsenal's decision to send teenage midfielder Ethan Nwaneri on loan to Olympique de Marseille.

"At the end you ⁠have to be thrown to the sharks in an incredible atmosphere and club. It's going to make so much good," Arteta said of the move.

Arteta said his side had room for improvement despite being unbeaten in their last 12 matches and winning all seven of their Champions League games this season, while Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola called Arsenal the best team in the world.

"I think we're the team that wants to be constantly better, we are doing a lot of things right, but we are far from perfect, and our only aim is to sustain the level we are doing and try to improve again," ‌Arteta said.

"You need to dominate all the phases in the game if we want to have the chance to win major trophies."