Egypt forward Omar Marmoush lighting up the Bundesliga

BERLIN (AP) — Egypt forward Omar Marmoush is the man of the moment in the Bundesliga after a blistering start to the season for Eintracht Frankfurt.

Marmoush denied Bayern Munich a win in a thrilling game Sunday with a stoppage-time equalizer that made it 3-3. It was his second goal of the game. He also set up the other for Hugo Ekitiké, when he ran clear of Dayot Upamecano on a counterattack.

“Marmoush is a player who’s only going to get better with time,” Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said. “What he did for Ekitiké’s goal is not normal. To push past Upa with strength, no one did that before for the whole season.

"And then to make the right decision at the end, the quality in his strike, and the speed. Sometimes he looks quite relaxed, then when he gets going, he’s really fast.”

Marmoush has been stealing the attention from Bayern star Harry Kane, who failed to score Sunday and has five goals from six Bundesliga games this season.

Marmoush, who has now scored in five games straight, has eight, while he has also set up another six for his Frankfurt teammates.

“We’re like a family,” he said. “You see that on the field, when we’re celebrating, the ones who didn’t play (join), we celebrate as a team.”

Marmoush appears to have made a jump in performance since last season, when he scored 12 goals and set up nine in his 29 Bundesliga appearances.

Frankfurt coach Dino Toppmöller said he had made a “little deal” before the season with Marmoush, but wouldn’t reveal what it is.

“I told him that a second year with us would do him good because he’s on the way up and hasn’t reached the end,” Toppmöller said. “And you can see that in this fantastic season.”

The 25-year-old Marmoush is the latest in a long line of forwards who have excelled at Frankfurt, after Randal Kolo Muani, Sébastien Haller, Luka Jović and Jay-Jay Okocha.

Marmoush has had to be patient, working his way through at Wolfsburg, St. Pauli and Stuttgart after joining the former from Cairo-based Wadi Degla SC in 2017.

It’s only since he joined Frankfurt in 2023 that the tireless attacker has added goals to his repertoire.

On Sunday, he combined well with Ekitiké, while Éric Junior Dina Ebimbe headed the ball into his path for Marmoush's second goal.

“When I came last season, we took time to play together and to know what he likes on the pitch, what I like also, and I think in time we just created a connection,” Ekitiké said. “Today he had two goals, one assist, So, yeah, he helped the team a lot.”

Marmoush’s transformation into a goal-getter is good news for Egypt, which struggled for them without the injured Mohamed Salah at the African Cup of Nations in January.

Marmoush only scored one as the seven-time champion lost on penalties to Congo in the round of 16.

Next up for Frankfurt is a visit to defending champion Bayer Leverkusen after the international break.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Frankfurt's Omar Marmoush, centre, celebrates after scoring his side's first goal past Bayern's goalkeeper Manuel Neuer during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayern Munich in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

From left: Frankfurt's Rasmus Kristensen, Robin Koch, Hugo Ekitike, Hugo Larsson and Omar Marmoush jump to block a free kick during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayern Munich in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Frankfurt's Omar Marmoush celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayern Munich in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Frankfurt's Omar Marmoush celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayern Munich in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Frankfurt's Omar Marmoush, centre, celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayern Munich in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II announced Monday he is suspending his campaign for governor and instead joining the race for secretary of state of the battleground state.

Gilchrist, a progressive Democrat from Detroit, did not cite a specific reason for the change in his video announcement, but said he is not finished being a “public servant.” His departure clears up the Democratic primary and benefits the frontrunner, Jocelyn Benson, who is the current Secretary of State, in the race to replace term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

The secretary of state is Michigan's top election official, a highly politicized and visible role since the 2020 presidential election.

“Michigan has been ground zero in the battle for free and fair elections before, and it will be again,” Gilchrist said.

As Whitmer’s second in command and her running mate in two elections, Gilchrist struggled to match Benson’s name recognition and fundraising. He reported having around $378,000 of cash on hand as of October compared to Benson’s $2.98 million.

Benson is now set to face only Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson in the Democratic primary in August.

The inclusion of a well-known independent candidate has created a new problem for Democrats this year. Former Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is avoiding costly primaries altogether by running as an independent. The Michigan Democratic Party slammed the former Democrat last week for not standing up to President Donald Trump’s second term policies.

In the Republican primary, U.S. Rep. John James, former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox, state Senate Leader Aaric Nesbitt and former Michigan House speaker Tom Leonard are jockeying for the nomination.

In his bid to become secretary of state, Gilchrist will face four other Democrats: Barb Byrum, Ingham County clerk; Aghogho Edevbie, deputy secretary of state; Suzanna Shkreli, a former Whitmer aide and commissioner of the Michigan State Lottery; and Adam Hollier, a former state senator from Detroit.

Michigan does not hold primary elections for the secretary of state position; the nominee is chosen by precinct delegates during party conventions. The Michigan Democratic Party convention is scheduled for April 19.

State Republicans plan to hold their nominating convention March 28 and GOP figures chasing the party's nomination for secretary of state include Anthony Forlini, Macomb County Clerk, and Monica Yatooma, an Oakland County executive.

In addition to the office of the governor and secretary of state, Michigan voters will be selecting a new state attorney general and a U.S. senator in November.

FILE - Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II waits before the State of the State address, Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024, at the state Capitol in Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo/Al Goldis, file)