Europa League: John Paul Dembe scores late winner, Sangaré and Levski eliminate Kangwa and Hapoel
- Andrew Olsson
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
The qualifying stages of UEFA club competitions are an opportunity for lesser-known players and clubs to make an early impression in the European season and this week there were two African internationals who starred in the UEFA Europa League. Ugandan rising forward John Paul Dembe was the hero for Swedish club BK Häcken.
With visitors Trnava energized by a comeback from two goals down that saw them equalize the aggregate score in the 82nd minute, Dembe calmly chested down a cleared corner kick before firing in a low finish for a crucial goal. The 20-year-old's role is increasing with his club after a slow start to life in Sweden but the former KCCA FC player is showing very positive signs of improvement.
For Zambia's Kings Kangwa, however, it was the opposite. After a brilliant 2024-25 campaign that saw Kangwa named Foreign Player of the Year for Israeli top flight side Hapoel Be'er Sheva, the club crashed out to Bulgaria's Levski Sofia in penalty kicks with Kangwa failing to convert his spot kick.
The Israeli Premier League runners-up missed each of their first three spot kicks with Kangwa missing the second attempt, a devastating blow they would not recover from. The executioner of Hapoel's downfall was Malian striker Mustapha Sangaré. The giant French-born striker scored a massive equalizer in extra time after Alon Turgeman gave Hapoel the lead.
And with Hapoel failing to convert their first three penalty kicks, the opportunity was there for Sangaré to be the hero and the striker completed a clutch performance by converting the winning penalty to send Levski through at Hapoel's expense.
It was a dream cameo from Sangaré who came off the bench on the hour mark. After spending his early career in amateur football in France, his debut campaign in UEFA club competition is off to a dream start.
Levski will next take on Portuguese side Braga where they will hope to produce another upset and qualify for the league phase. Dembe and Häcken will face Belgium's Anderlecht. Both ties will begin with the first leg next Thursday.
