Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang continued his outstanding early-season form for German outfit Borussia Dortmund with a hat-trick at the weekend.
The treble for the 2015 African footballer of the Year came just a week after he bagged a 58-second Bundesliga brace against FC Cologne.
Scoring three goals in a 6-1 rout of Borussia Moenchengladbach lifted his Dortmund tally to 132 from 198 games.
Here, we look at how African stars playing throughout Europe performed at the weekend.
OUMAR NIASSE (Everton)
Senegalese forward Niasse seemed unlikely to carve out a career at Everton a year ago after manager Ronald Koeman banished him to the Under-23s and then sent him out on loan to Hull City.
But Romelu Lukaku’s departure to Manchester United has created an attacking vacancy and after finding the net in the mid-week League Cup win over Sunderland, Niasse came off the bench to score twice and earn Koeman’s men a much-needed 2-1 success over Bournemouth.
Goodison brace: Niasse.
MOHAMED SALAH (Liverpool)
Salah continued his fine start to life at Liverpool by scoring his sixth goal in nine appearances in an entertaining 3-2 win at Leicester City.
The Egypt winger squandered a good chance by shooting wide after Emre Can’s shot came back off the post, but he atoned in the 15th minute by putting Liverpool ahead with a powerful back-post header from Philippe Coutinho’s cross.
In the goals: Salah.
SERGE AURIER (Tottenham Hotspur)
Former Paris Saint-Germain right-back Aurier had a full Premier League debut to forget as he was sent off in Tottenham’s 3-2 win at West Ham United.
Booked in the 64th minute for tripping Andy Carroll, the Ivory Coast international saw red six minutes later after launching himself into a wild and unnecessary challenge on the same player.
Aurier walks off after being shown a red card.
FAYCAL FAJR, AMATH NDIAYE (Getafe)
Moroccan Fajr replaced Senegalese Ndiaye as a second-half substitute and went on to provide the free-kick from which Angel Rodriguez headed home his second goal, giving Getafe a 4-0 win over Villarreal.
Provider: Fajr.
CEDRIC BAKAMBU (Villarreal)
Democratic Republic of Congo striker Bakambu fired Villarreal’s best chance over the bar in the first-half before being replaced on the hour in the midst of a three-goal surge from Getafe in 13 minutes early in the second period.
Didn’t enjoy best outing: Bakambu.
ADEL TAARABT (Genoa)
Moroccan Taarabt was sent off in injury time along with Belgian of DR Congo origin Stephane Omeonga as the club from Liguria lost 1-0 to Inter Milan to remain winless in their opening six games.
Red mist for Taarabt.
ORJI OKWONKWO (Bologna)
Nigerian Okwonkwo scored a minute from time as Bologna snatched a last-gasp victory in the Emilia-Romagna derby. After Sassuolo captain Francesco Magnanelli was sent off, substitute Okwonkwo sealed the winner.
Orji Okwonkwo celebrates scoring the winner.
FAOUZI GHOULAM (Napoli)
Napoli had Ghoulam to thank as they stumbled to a 3-2 win at SPAL Ferrara, sealing a record-breaking start to the Serie A season.
The Algerian struck with seven minutes left, firing home a stunning left-footed strike after a run down the left flank. It maintained Napoli’s perfect record – six wins from six games – as the Partenopei remain top of the Italian top flight.
Sitting pretty at the top: Faouzi Ghoulam and Napoli.
PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG (Borussia Dortmund)
The Gabon striker hit a hat-trick for Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund in their 6-1 trouncing of Borussia Moenchengladbach – strengthening his partnership with Maximilian Philipp, who scored the first two goals.
This was Aubameyang’s second hat-trick of the season after netting a treble in Dortmund’s German Cup first-round clash at minnows Rielasingen.
In the goals: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
RACHID GHEZZAL (Monaco)
The Algeria international notched his first goal for Monaco in a 4-0 rout of Lille.
Ghezzal, 25, drilled home a clinical finish from Almamy Toure’s driven cross on the half hour mark as the defending champions claimed a sixth win in seven matches.
On the scoresheet: Rachid Ghezzal (C).
