Lassine Sinayoko’s outstanding start to the Ligue 1 season has drawn praise from Mali manager Anthony Da Silva, who believes the Paris FC forward remains underappreciated despite leading the division’s scoring charts.
The Mali international scored twice in six minutes during Sunday’s 3-1 victory over Monaco at Jean-Bouin and also provided the assist for Pablo Pagis’s goal. Sinayoko was involved in all three of Paris FC’s goals, earning a place in the weekend’s team of African players in Europe.
After nine Ligue 1 matches, the former Auxerrois has eight goals and five assists. That tally makes him the league’s leading scorer at this stage of the campaign and underlines the impact he has made since joining Paris FC.
His finishing numbers are particularly striking. Sinayoko’s eight goals have come from 5.9 expected goals (xG), giving him a positive difference of 2.1 - the best figure in Ligue 1 this season. He has also scored once every 98 minutes, placing him among the three most prolific forwards in the competition.
Sinayoko moved to Paris FC from AJ Auxerre in a deal worth 10 million euros, including bonuses, and has quickly established himself as one of the leading attacking players in the division.
Da Silva, who spoke to Afrik-Foot, said the forward’s contribution went beyond his goals and assists. The Mali manager had the opportunity to assess him during his first two matches in charge of the Eagles, both played in late September in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
Mali beat Cape Verde 3-1 before securing a 1-0 victory over Liberia. Da Silva also highlighted Sinayoko’s commitment by recalling that the player had featured with a 39.5C fever.
Although Sinayoko had spent a long period away from the spotlight despite his ability, his current form has made him increasingly difficult to overlook. His status as Ligue 1’s top scorer, combined with Paris FC’s fourth-place position in the table, has brought him greater recognition.
Da Silva now hopes the attacker’s performances for Mali will raise his profile further. Sinayoko was among the first names on the manager’s list for the forthcoming double-header against Rwanda in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The squad for those matches was announced on Monday.