Substitute Eto'o makes dream debut

Record four-time African Footballer of the Year Samuel Eto'o came off the bench to salvage a point for new club Anzhi Makhachkala in the Russian Premier League at the weekend.

The Cameroon striker and captain, who moved from Inter Milan in a 30.3-million-dollar deal, equalised 10 minutes from full-time at Rostov after being set up by former Chelsea midfielder Yuri Zhirkov.

There were plenty of African goals in France with Senegalese Moussa Sow, Burkinabe Alain Traore and Algerian Ryad Boudebouz bagging a brace each and Cameroonian Aurelien Chedjou and Togolese Razak Boukari also on target.

ENGLAND
DIDIER DROGBA (Chelsea)

The Ivory Coast striker was stretchered off after suffering concussion during his side's 3-1 win over Norwich at Stamford Bridge. Drogba landed awkwardly after colliding with Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy and needed seven minutes of treatment on the pitch before being rushed to hospital for further examination. He regained consciousness before leaving the stadium.

JOHN OBI MIKEL (Chelsea)

The Nigeria midfielder was in action for the first time since his father was freed by kidnappers in his home country and celebrated with a confident display in the Blues' win over Norwich. Mikel's father was missing for several weeks before being released but his son, who had played on throughout the ordeal, gave a typically powerful display.

YAYA TOURE (Man City)

The Ivory Coast midfielder provided an assist for Edin Dzeko's third goal as City thrashed Tottenham 5-1 at White Hart Lane. Toure's precise cross was swept home by Dzeko, who finished with four goals, in the 55th minute and City have now won all three Premier League games, scoring 12 goals.

CHRISTOPHER SAMBA (Blackburn)

The Congo Brazzaville defender gave away the penalty that condemned his side to a 1-0 home defeat against Everton at Ewood Park. Samba was harshly ruled to have fouled Marouane Fellaini in an aerial challenge in the last minute and Mikel Arteta stroked home the spot-kick after struggling Blackburn had missed two penalties.

DEMBA BA (Newcastle)

The Senegal striker set up Leon Best's second goal after coming on as a substitute in his side's 2-1 win over Fulham at St James' Park. Former West Ham star Ba picked out Best with a perfect pass in the 66th minute -- just four minutes after being introduced -- and his team-mate drove home to put Newcastle on course for a second successive league win.

FRANCE
MOUSSA SOW, AURELIEN CHEDJOU (Lille)

Senegalese striker Sow, the top Ligue 1 scorer last season with 25 goals, finally got his name on the scoresheet with his first two goals of this campaign as the champions claimed their first win at home -- 3-2 over Marseille. Sow opened after 15 minutes and added the second when he converted a penalty on 75 minutes with Cameroon defender Aurelien Chedjou getting the third.

ALAIN TRAORE (Auxerre)

Burkina Faso striker Traore continued his fine start to the season with a quick-fire double of superb goals in Auxerre's 4-1 defeat of promoted Ajaccio. In the 75th minute he whipped a sublime free-kick into the top-left corner before finding the exact same spot from the edge of the box five minutes later. With five goals in four games, he is the league's top scorer.

RYAD BOUDEBOUZ (Sochaux)

Algeria winger Boudebouz claimed the first brace of his senior career to hand Sochaux a 2-1 win at home to Saint-Etienne. His first goal, in the sixth minute, saw him find the bottom-right corner after wriggling away from two defenders, while he restored his side's lead in the 42nd minute from the penalty spot.

RAZAK BOUKARI (Rennes)

Togolese forward Boukari set his team on the way to victory with the opening goal in a 3-2 win over Caen. When Julien Feret's free-kick was deflected into the air in the fifth minute, Boukari reacted alertly to out-jump two defenders and plant a firm header past goalkeeper Alexis Thebaux.

GERMANY
CEDRIK MAKIADI, PAPISS DEMBA CISSE (Freiburg)

Congolese midfielder Makiadi sealed Freiburg's first win of the season with the third goal in a 3-0 success at home to Wolfsburg. Just before the hour mark Makiadi seized on a weak defensive header to thrash a volley inside the right-hand post from 15 yards for his second goal of the season. In-demand Senegalese striker Papiss Demba Cisse had earlier teed up Erik Jenvresik for the second goal.

SAMI ALLAGUI (Mainz)

Germany-born Tunisian striker Samir Allagui opened after just two minutes at Hanover who grabbed an equaliser from Norwegian international Mohammed Abdellaoue in a 1-1 draw. The result prevented Hanover from taking top spot in the Bundesliga.

ADID CHIHI (Cologne)

Moroccan striker Chihi grabbed the opening goal for FC Cologne in a come-from-behind 4-3 win at Hamburg, who led with an 11th-minute penalty before Chihi equalised 10 minutes later as his side achieved their first win of the season.

RUSSIA
SAMUEL ETO'O (Anzhi Makhachkala)

Debutant Eto'o came on as a substitute to save the day for his new club by equalising in a 1-1 Russian Premier League draw before a capacity 17,000 crowd at Rostov. Though Eto'o initially failed to produce anything spectacular, his mere presence put pressure on Rostov, who deployed two defenders to watch the Cameroon striker and captain. But his 'minders' were helpless in the 80th minute when Eto'o fired into the net from the edge of the six-yard box.

SPAIN
NABIL EL ZHAR (Levante)

The Moroccan winger came on as a substitute in Levante's first game of the season after a mid-year move from Liverpool and added pace to the attack although he was not directly involved in his side's equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Getafe. Levante have a solid defence and their counter-attacking style will suit El Zhar, who wants to prove himself after struggling during an injury-marred spell at Anfield.

PAPAKOULI DIOP (Santander)

The 25-year-old Senegalese defensive midfielder produced a solid performance although he was booked after half an hour for handball. Diop and Jose Antonio Picon closed down the space for Valencia's attacking players but after Picon went off injured with 20 minutes to go, Valencia took full advantage to come from behind and win 4-3.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.