One final weekend of the Game Changers of the Week series, spotlighting African players across Europe. From delivering goals, assists, and commanding displays when their teams needed them most, here are the players who made things happen
Paul Onuachu (Nigeria) – Trabzonspor 2-1 Konyaspor
Onuachu rose to the occasion in the Turkish Cup final, producing the decisive contributions that carried Trabzonspor to silverware.
The Nigerian striker opened the scoring midway through the first half with an instinctive close-range finish after reacting quickest inside the penalty area. Konyaspor fought their way back into the contest after the break, but Onuachu remained composed when the defining moment arrived late on—stepping up to convert the winning penalty and restore Trabzonspor’s advantage.
His combination of physical presence, movement in the box, and composure under pressure proved too much for Konyaspor to handle on the biggest stage.
Mohamed Salah (Egypt) – Liverpool F.C. 1-1 Brentford F.C.
Salah once again delivered in a key moment, providing the spark for Liverpool in a tense contest against Brentford.
With space limited for much of the game, the Egyptian forward unlocked the defense in the second half with a perfectly weighted pass that sent Curtis Jones through on goal for Liverpool’s opener. It was another reminder of Salah’s creative quality, adding yet another assist to his remarkable Premier League record.
He remained Liverpool’s main attacking outlet throughout, constantly probing Brentford’s back line and nearly finding the net himself with a free-kick that clipped the woodwork.
André Onana (Cameroon) – Trabzonspor 2-1 Konyaspor
Onana played a vital role in Trabzonspor’s cup triumph with a series of calm interventions under pressure.
After Konyaspor pulled level early in the second half, the Cameroonian goalkeeper produced one of the defining moments of the match by standing firm during a dangerous penalty sequence that could have turned the final completely in Konyaspor’s favour.
Beyond that moment, Onana’s command of his area and composure in possession helped Trabzonspor maintain control during the closing stages as they secured the trophy.
Nicolas Pépé (Ivory Coast) – Villarreal CF 5-1 Atlético Madrid
Pépé was at the centre of Villarreal’s attacking brilliance in a stunning dismantling of Atlético Madrid.
The Ivorian winger caused constant problems with his direct running and creativity, registering two assists as Villarreal tore through Atlético’s defense. His first contribution came from a sharp attacking move that opened space for Pape Gueye to score, before another clever pass later set up Ayoze Pérez to cap the emphatic victory.
Every time Villarreal broke forward, Pépé looked dangerous, combining pace and precision to devastating effect.
Issa Diop(Morocco) – Fulham F.C. 2-0 Newcastle United F.C.
Diop delivered an authoritative performance at both ends of the pitch as Fulham secured an impressive win over Newcastle.
The defender opened the scoring by reacting quickest after a free-kick rattled the crossbar, positioning himself perfectly to head home the rebound from close range.
Defensively, he remained equally influential, winning aerial duels, cutting out danger, and helping Fulham maintain a clean sheet against one of the league’s most dangerous attacking sides. It was a complete centre-back display built on awareness, timing, and control.
That’s it for this season’s Game Changer of the Week series. See you next season!