Mahamadou Doumbia continues hot form with match winner in Antwerp victory

Malian midfielder Mahamadou Doumbia is hitting his stride in the early stages of the 2025-26 season with Royal Antwerp, adding his latest contribution on Sunday with the match winner in Antwerp’s 2-1 Jupiler Pro League victory over KV Mechelen.

Golazo de Mahamadou Doumbia. Se pone por delante el Antwerp. pic.twitter.com/pxDzQy1wHR

— D (@seskologo) August 24, 2025

Doumbia’s sensational 80th minute strike from distance maintained Antwerp’s undefeated record so far through five matches in Belgium’s top flight. The Bamako native played a combination with Andreas Verstraeten and did the rest, unleashing a curling strike from 25 yards that left Mechelen goalkeeper Ortwin De Wolf a spectator.

21-year-old Doumbia continues to show excellent progress at Antwerp since joining at the beginning of the 2023-24 season. A graduate of the JMG Academy in Bamako, Doumbia struggled in his first season in Europe on loan with Denmark’s FC Nordsjælland a permanent move to Antwerp allowed him to develop. Doumbia quickly graduated from playing with Antwerp’s reserve team and has eclipsed 50 appearances in his third season.

Doumbia now has 2 goals and an assist in 5 league games with Antwerp, who are in fifth place through five rounds. He has also progressed with the Mali senior national team, earning a place in the starting lineup of coach Tom Saintfiet for a 0-1 friendly defeat to DR Congo in early June.

Antwerp next travel to face Westerlo for their next Jupiler Pro League fixture on Saturday.