Conference League: Afimico Pululu and Kaly Sene among five Africans to score braces

The UEFA Conference League is now into the final round of qualifying after the second leg of the third qualifying round was completed on Thursday. Three African players scored braces while an African duo combined forces to send Kazakh club FC Astana through as well.

Senegalese striker Mamadou Kaly Sène made it look easy for Swiss side Lausanne-Sport against Macedonia’s Vardar. After dropping a surprise 1-2 result in Macedonia, Sène’s brace powered Lausanne back ahead in the tie when he scored the second and third goals in a dominant 5-0 second leg home victory.

Lausanne moved on with a 6-2 aggregate victory thanks to Sène, who also scored in Lausanne’s Swiss Super League opener with a 3-2 victory over Winterthur.

DR Congo is embracing Afimico Pululu after he turned his back on Angola, his country of birth, to represent the country of his parents a few months ago. He continues to star for Polish club Jagiellonia Bialystok, scoring twice (video above) in a 3-1 second leg victory at home over Novi Pazar of Serbia. Pululu previously scored the winner in the first leg with a classy finish and his double put the Polish club far beyond reach.

Nadir Benbouali, a graduate of the famed Paradou AC academy, achieved his brace through sheer aerial power. The Algerian forward produced two perfect headers to help Hungarian club Győri ETO KC to a 4-3 aggregate victory after dropping the first leg of their clash with Armenia’s Pyunik Yerevan. After struggling to find his way at Belgian club Charleroi, the 25-year-old is establishing himself with in Győr after scoring seven goals last season.

But none of the African stars on Thursday looked quite as relaxed as Cape Verde international striker Willy Semedo. The poacher showed his composure and instincts, breaking the Torpedo Kutaisi defense line twice with well-timed runs in a 4-0 second leg victory for Cypriot club Omonia (5-0 on aggregate).

While he has struggled to make an impact with Cape Verde, the 31-year-old is a regular sight on the score sheet for Omonia who have a good chance of reaching the league stage with a final qualifying duel against Azeri side Araz.

Finally, Kazakh side FC Astana are through thanks to a double punch from Geoffrey Chinedu and Ousmane Camara. Nigerian striker Chinedu fired in a top shelf finish to put the visitors ahead of Moldovan club Zimbru Chisinau before Guinean attacker Camara calmly put Astana beyond reach in a 2-0 victory that confirmed a 3-1 aggregate result.

Both are among the top ten scorers in the Kazakh top flight for Astana, who are tied atop the table with Kairat Almaty through eighteen games.