Sekou Koita SalzburgGetty Images

Sekou Koita scores in Salzburg friendly win over Gouiri’s Nice

Sekou Koita scored off the bench as reigning Austrian Bundesliga champions Salzburg claimed a comeback 4-1 friendly win over OGC Nice on Saturday with Amine Gouiri netting the only goal for the French side.

The Bulls started off their pre-season with a 2-2 draw against Slovenian side NK Bravo on August 3 with German-Nigerian teenage striker Karim Adeyemi finding the back of the net in the game.

They started on the backfoot here with Gouiri giving Nice the lead in just the seventh minute of play, remaining 1-0 going into half-time. It was his third goal in two games having netted twice in a 6-0 demolition of Slovakian outfit Dunajska Streda the last time out.

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Salzburg then came to life in the second-half, Koita starting the goal glut in the 49th minute followed by Zlatko Junuzovic and a brace from Mergim Berisha.

Koita was part of the Salzburg team that lifted a 14th Bundesliga title last season. The Malian forward was limited to just 16 league appearances due to injury but still managed to score eight goals and provide three assists, the highlight coming in a 4-1 victory over Austria Vienna in which he was involved in all four goals (two goals, two assists).

He also scored three times in four Austrian Cup outings which Salzburg also won to cement a domestic double.

Other Africans to play for Salzburg in Saturday’s friendly included Cameroon midfielder Mohamed Camara and the Zambian duo of Enock Mwepu and Patson Daka. The latter finished as the club’s top scorer with 24 goals in 31 league appearances and 27 overall, taking over the goalscoring mantle from teenage sensation Erling Haaland who transferred to Borussia Dortmund in January.

For Nice, goalscorer Gouiri is a new signing from Lyon in a deal worth €7 million. The 20-year old Franco-Algerian started his career at youth level with Les Gones before moving into the first team in 2017. He however made just 15 appearances across the board.

Patrick Vieira’s men have played seven pre-season games since the beginning of July, but have only won twice, drawing once and losing four times.

They finished last season in fifth and will begin the new Ligue 1 campaign with an away tie against Amiens on August 23.

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