UAE Pro League: Banza strikes while African stars help Baniyas climb out of the basement

Congolese striker Simon Banza scored his first goal in two months for Al Jazira before Leonel Wamba and Youssoufou Niakaté each tallied to lead Baniyas Club to victory in the UAE Pro League on Thursday.

بانزا يعيد الجزيرة ويسجل هدف التعادل من رأسية رائعة..#البطائح_الجزيرة #أبوظبي_الرياضية 1⃣ | #دوري_أدنوك_للمحترفين ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/RAwPRJQu8b

— ADSportsTV (@ADSportsTV) January 29, 2026

Since securing an expensive transfer to Abu Dhabi club Al Jazira, DR Congo international Banza has only managed to appear in only five of his club’s fourteen league matches. However, he gave an excellent reminder of his goal-scoring abilities by heading in the equalizer in a 1-1 draw at Al Bataeh.

Ghanaian-born UAE international Richard Akonnor’s cross from the left wing was at a perfect height for the tall striker, who met the ball perfectly for a powerful header into the top of the net just after the hour mark. Banza will now look to improve on a disappointing season, where he has only managed two goals in nine appearances in all competitions. He was in the DR Congo squad at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations but failed to make an appearance.

Baniyas Club appear set to continue battling relegation but they took a major step forward, climbing out from the bottom of the table with a 2-0 victory at Al Nasr. Nigerian winger Godwin Saviour skied a penalty kick into the stands in the first half but then set up Cameroonian striker Leonel Wamba to head in his fifth goal of the campaign just before halftime.

بني ياس يتقدم على النصر بهدف من ضربة رأسية رائعة عن طريق ليونيل وامبا ⚽#النصر_بني_ياس#دوري_أدنوك_للمحترفين pic.twitter.com/6dGcEsdfDu

— ADSportsTV (@ADSportsTV) January 29, 2026

Former CR Belouizdad forward Wamba has endured mixed fortunes in the UAE. On loan after from fellow UAE Pro League club Al Wahda after failing to score in fourteen league matches for his parent club, Wamba has been sent off twice this season but is capable of the spectacular on his day as seen with his leaping header on Thursday.

Baniyas leans heavily on African talent to fill their foreign player slots and it was Malian striker Niakaté who completed the victory in the second half. After applying pressure to steal the ball deep in Al Nasr’s end, the 33-year-old veteran cleverly lifted his finish over onrushing goalkeeper Ahmad Shambih.

“السماوي يضرب بالهدف الثاني” 🔷

الهداف يوسوفو نياكاتي يُسجل الهدف الثاني لفريق بني ياس بهدف من لمسة جميلة في شباك النصر ⚽#النصر_بني_ياس#دوري_أدنوك_للمحترفين pic.twitter.com/Gv1xxmefs4

— ADSportsTV (@ADSportsTV) January 29, 2026

Niakaté, who represented Mali at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, remains a reliable scorer for Baniyas. Thursday’s strike was his fourth goal in league play this season and he now has 26 goals in 63 UAE Pro League games in his third season at the club.