The plot to try and topple Bayern Munich and end their seven-year uninterrupted reign as German Bundesliga is about to approach the halfway point.
Bayern are currently stuttering in fifth place after fifteen games played on 27 points, six points behind ambitious leaders RB Leipzig with three rounds of matches left before the one -month winter break begins after Boxing Day.
The contenders are Schalke at number 4 on 28 points, Borussia Dortmund third on 29 points, while seven-time champions Borussia Monchengladbach who have set the pace in the first fifteen games are second on 3 points.
In that midst of this drama to unseat the Bavarian giants, we track the form of the Bundesliga African stars at their respective Bundesliga clubs after round 15.
=ALGERIA
-Early season pacesetters Borussia Monchengladbach’s hopes of being declared Bundesliga Winter Champions with three rounds to go before the mid-season break on December 26 a hit pothole on Sunday when they lost 2-1 away to eighth placed Wolfsburg.
The result saw the five-time Bundesliga champions drop from first to second as they chase their first league title since 1977.
It was a second successive disappointing outing Algeria defender and Chipolopolo Zambia’s 2021 AFCON Group H qualifiers tormentor, Rami Bensebiani, who played the 90 minutes for Gladbach just four days after they were knockout of the Europa League.
=COTE D’IVOIRE
Veteran striker Salomon Kalou celebrated from the bench on Saturday in Hertha Berlin’s first win under new coach Jürgen Klinsmann after three Bundesliga matches in charge.
Hertha beat Freiburg 1-0 to garner four points in their last two games under Klinsmann’s helm of the 13th placed side.
=TOGO
Striker Ihlas Bebou played the full 90 minutes for Hoffenheim in Friday’s 3-2 home loss into fellow mid-table side FC Augsburg but the powerful striker was not on target.
=CAMEROON
Midfielder Pierre Kunde started for 14th placed Mainz in Saturday’s 4-0 home loss to Borussia Dortmund before he was substituted in the 86th minute.
=SENEGAL
-Influential Senegal defender Salif Sane watched from the sidelines with due to injury as fourth placed Schalke downed mid-table Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 on Sunday to stay in a tight race for the top four place.
-Striker Babacar Gueye was an unused player by last placed Paderborn in Saturday’s 1-1 home draw with number 10 team Union Berlin.
=MALI
-Malian defender Almamy Toure started for Enitracht in the loss at Schalke but was subbed in the 82nd minute whilst his compatriot Simon Falette was an unused substitute for the 12th placed side.
-On Saturday, their compatriot and midfielder Amadou Haidara was on the bench for new leaders RB Leipzig who crushed hosts Fortuna Dusseldorf 3-0.
-Earlier on Friday, Zambia stars Patson Daka and Enock Mwepu’s former club mate at Austrian champions RB Salzburg Diadie Samassekou lasted only 29 minutes of the first half for Hoffenheim in their 3-2 home loss against Augsburg.
=GHANA
-Dusseldorf’s three Ghanaian imports were on the losing side against Leipzig.
Nana Amapomah played the 90 minutes, midfielder Bernard Tekpetey came on in the 70th minute but defender Kasim Adams was an unused substitute by the third from bottom side.
-On the same day at last placed Paderborn, defender Christopher Antwi-Adjej played the full 90 minutes but did not score in the 1-1 draw with Union Berlin.
=TUNISIA
Midfielder Ellyes Skhiri played the full 90 minutes for second from bottom FC Koln on Saturday in their 2-0 Rhine derby victory over nine-man Bayer Leverkusen but was not on target.
=NIGERIA
-Defender Jamilu Collins played the full 90 minutes for Paderborn against mid-table Union Berlin while his compatriot and striker Anthony Ujah came on in the 89th minute.
-Striker Taiwo Awoniyi was an unused substitute by Mainz in their 4-0 home loss to Borussia Dortmund.
=MOROCCO
-Midfielder Amine Harit started for Schalke in Sunday night’s 1-0 home win over Eintracht before he was substituted in the 68th minute.
-Defender Achraf Hakimi played the full 90 minutes for third placed Borussia Dortmund in their roaring 4-0 away win over Mainz.
-Midfielder Abdel Sabiri was unused substitute by struggling Paderborn in Saturday’s draw with tenth positioned Union Berlin.
NEXT LIVE TV BUNDESLIGA MATCH
17/12/2019
StarTimes World Football
21h00: Borussia Dortmund-RB Leipzig
