African club round-up: Pyramids, Sundowns get vital wins
African football is alive every weekend with exciting league action around the continent and our weekly round-up of league action highlights a selection of the most important results.
EGYPT
A dramatic winner from veteran centre back Ali Gabr seven minutes into stoppage time at the end of Friday’s game in Alexandria against Smouha saw Pyramids retake top place in the Premier League with a narrow 1-0 away success. They are a single point above African champions Al Ahly, who had a narrow 2-1 home victory over Petrojet in Cairo on Thursday. Emam Ashour and Ahly’s new Slovenian striker Nejc Gradisar were the scores for the hosts with Ahmed Farouk getting a late consolation for the hosts. The 22-year-old Gradisar has scored three goals in as many games since joining from Fehervar in Hungary. Zamalek, who meet Al Ahly in the Cairo derby later this month, are third in the standings, four points behind Pyramids. Mostafa Shalaby and Nabil Emad were the scorers as Zamalek beat Ismailia 2-0 on Friday despite finishing down to 10-men when substitute Nasser Maher was sent off. El Gouna moved off the bottom after forcing a goalless draw at El Geish in Cairo on Friday and are now in a three-way tie on seven points in the relegation zone with ENPPI and Modern.
TANZANIA
Simba, who are in the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup draw later this month, dropped unexpected points on Thursday as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Fountain Gate at Babati. It meant that arch rival Young Africans are now top of the table with 45 points to Simba’s 44 after they had an emphatic 6-1 home win in Dar-es-Salaam on Wednesday over KenGold. Yanga won despite the abrupt departure of coach Sead Ramovic, who has taken up an offer at Chabab Belouizdad in Algeria. Simba were ahead away from home but an own goal by midfielder Ladack Chasambi saw them drop potentially vital points.
SOUTH AFRICA
Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates have been neck-and-neck throughout the season at the top of the Premier League but the defending champions shrugged off Pirates’ challenge with an emphatic 4-1 home win in Pretoria on Saturday. Victory for Sundowns sees them nine points ahead of second placed Pirates at the top of the table, albeit with a game in hand. Sundowns also reached the halfway stage of the season with a record 42 points with 14 wins from 15 games. Two goals from their Brazilian import Lucas Ribeiro set the two sides apart and put Sundowns comfortably on course for a record-extending eighth championship. Pirates are on 33 points and third placed Polokwane City on 29 after they were beaten 2-0 by struggling Richards Bay in Durban on Saturday. Sekhukhune United moved back to fourth spot with a 1-1 home draw against SuperSport United in Polokwane on Sunday after Kaizer Chiefs had moved up there following a 1-0 away victory over Stellenbosch in Cape Town on Friday. Chiefs’ new Congolese international signing Glody Lilepo marked his arrival with the game’s only goal.
COTE D’IVOIRE
Stade d’Abidjan, recently eliminated after the group phase of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League, kept up their three-point advantage in Ligue 1 after a 3-0 away win on Sunday over Inova Sporting Club Association. Adama Bayo, Cheick Moukoro and veteran former international Roger Assale were the scorers as Stade moved up to 36 points after a fourth successive league victory. Academie Football Amadou Diallo are in second place after they beat ASEC Mimosas 2-1 away in Bingerville with an early penalty converted by Fulgence Kouadio and a second just after halftime from Ibrahim Kone. ASEC’s late consolation came from Souleymane Fofana but because Stella Adjame lost 3-0 to bottom placed Racing Abidjan, ASEC moved up to third on goal difference.
GAMBIA
Real de Banjul emerged 1-0 away winners over Fortune on Saturday and now have a three point lead at the helm of the First Division. Hart Academy are second after winning 4-2 at Team Rhino at the same time. The league campaign is now a third of the way through the season.