Canadians in Europe: David's goal sets LOSC Ligue 1 record
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Jonathan David made Lille history, while Tajon Buchanan stayed hot and Alphonso Davies helped new-look Bayern Munich to a rout to open up the Bundesliga season. Here's a look at Canadians in Europe over the weekend.
Jonathan David, Lille - While Ottawa's Jonathan David still hasn't gotten his move to a European giant, he continues to show why he is one of Ligue 1's most consistent goal threats in the early days of the new season and the 22-year-old Canada star made club history in doing so. David made it two goals in two matches as Lille defeated Nantes in a match that was a little trickier than it needed to be for Les Dogues. After being frustrated for the first hour by a Nantes side already looking like they'll be in another relegation fight come next spring, LOSC got their breakthrough in the 66th. Remy Cabella dropped off a pass for Edon Zhegrova at the edge of the area and headed for the front of the net. The Kosovo winger whipped in a perfect cross for Cabella who managed to force Remy Descamps into a terrific save, but the Nantes goalkeeper was only able to parry into the path of David, who calmly poked home to make it 1-0. It was David's second goal of the young season, but more importantly, it was his 53rd goal in Ligue 1 to eclipse Pierre Pleimelding as Les Dogues' all-time goals leader in league play. David now needs just three goals to match Pleimelding's mark of 62 in all competitions. David would eventually be subbed off in the 89th. Les Dogues continued to press for a second goal to wrap up the three points, but things took a turn in the 78th minute. After a bad turnover at midfield, Nantes broke forward through Abdoul Kader Bamba. Before he could get a shot off, he was taken to ground by Alexsandro Ribeiro, who was immediately shown a straight red for a last-man-back foul. Minutes later, Stredair Appiah thought he had his first Ligue 1 with an equalizer, but it was ruled out for offside following a VAR check. There would be one last goal in the match, but it would be for Les Dogues. Set up by Ivan Cavaleiro, Adam Ounas whipped a beautiful shot from just outside the area off of the post and in to make it 2-0 in the fourth minute of stoppage and put what ended up being a nervy match to bed. David finished his afternoon with four shots and one interception.
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Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich - While Bayern won the Bundesliga last season for a 10th straight year, it didn't feel like a triumph. Bayern claimed the title on the final day of the season with a 2-1 win over Koln, but the title was only possible thanks to Borussia Dortmund's failure to beat Mainz, drawing 2-2. Frankly, the title fell into Bayern's lap, something they were quite aware of. After having fired Julian Nagelsmann late into the season during an international break and replaced him with former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel, Bayern completed the housecleaning as soon as the season was over, showing the door to CEO and club legend Oliver Kahn and sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic. What was central to Bayern's inability to pull away from the pack last season was a failure to replace Robert Lewandowski. After selling the Poland hitman to Barcelona and losing the nearly 30 goals a season he averaged for the prior eight years, the team didn't bring in a proper No. 9 to weather his absence. The arrival of Senegal forward Sadio Mané from Liverpool was an abject disaster, with his lone season in Germany marked by a lengthy injury that saw him miss the World Cup and a fight with teammate Leroy Sané that ended with his suspension. Mané was sold to Saudi side Al Nassr earlier this month. It only took a year, but Bayern found a Lewandowski replacement in the former of England captain Harry Kane, signing the 30-year-old striker from Tottenham Hotspur in a club record £86.4 million (plus bonuses). In Saturday's season opener at Werder Bremen, Kane showed just what he brings to the table with Calgary's Alphonso Davies also central to the proceedings. In the fourth minute, Bayern were already ahead. After other new signing, South Korea defender Kim Min-jae, snuffed out an attack from the hosts, Sané broke forward with a nifty give-and-go with Kane near midfield to run at goal and beat Jiri Pavlenka with a tidy finish to make it 1-0. Minutes after Davies set up Kingley Coman to rifle a shot off of the post, Bayern would grab a second in the seventh after a trademark Davies run. Motoring forward down the right, the Canada star found Kane, who slipped behind a marker and made himself room on the edge of the area, to slot home for his first goal in a Bayern shirt. While that goal effectively wrapped up the three points, the visitors weren't finished. Sané grabbed a second in the 90th after finishing off some tidy passing from Thomas Muller and Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting to make it 3-0 before Davies picked up his second assist of the match in the fourth minute of stoppage, weaving his way into the Bremen box to set up Mathys Tel to end the match at 4-0. Davies finished his afternoon playing the full 90 and completing 69 of 79 attempted passes. While it's obviously early days, Bayern in this kind of imperious form will be a difficult prospect for even the stoutest of defences.
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Tajon Buchanan, Club Brugge - After managing only two goals in their first two league matches, Club Brugge continued their free scoring on Sunday to make it 12 over the last two matches with a 7-1 drubbing of RWDM. Brampton, Ont. winger Tajon Buchanan found the scoresheet for a second straight match. The hosts opened the scoring in the 15th with Philip Zinckernagel heading home fine service from Maxim De Cuyper. Looking at the box score paints a very one-sided match, which it ended up being, but it was actually 1-1 at one point. Less than a minute later, RWDM was level. Taking advantage of some lax defending, Florent da Silva poked home a cross from Alexis De Sart, who had shaken off Buchanan, to make it 1-1. But the rout was on shortly after that thanks to Denmark forward Andreas Skov Olsen, who starred on the afternoon. Some pressure from the hosts forced a turnover at midfield and the Brugge move forward was finished by Olsen to regain the lead at 2-1 in the 19th. It would remain at that scoreline through the half with the floodgates opening in the second 45. Thiago completed a pretty passing play to make it 3-1 in the 52nd. Olsen got his second in the 62nd that came from ingenuity and with a little bit of odor. After Brugge took a short corner, Olsen spotted that RWDM goalkeeper Theo Defourny was showing too much daylight at the near post and took a shot from a sharp angle that Defourny was too slow to react to and helped put into his own net. It was a smart play by Olsen, but not a great bit of goalkeeping from Defourny. After Antonio Nusa made it 5-1 in the 74th, Buchanan got his second of the season in the 78th. Olsen's corner was picture perfect and found a completely unmarked Buchanan at the far post to head home into a empty net to make it 6-1. An own goal from RWDM defender Abner rounded out the scoring in the second minute of stoppage. Buchanan played the entire 90 and also drew a foul. Through four matches, Brugge sits atop the table, level on 10 points with Gent, but ahead on a superior goal difference.