African club round-up: Rivals draw in Egypt and DR Congo

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
Moroccan international Achraf Bencharki returned to the Egyptian league in the colours of Al Ahly, after being signed from Qatari club Al Rayyan, and got a goal on debut, coming on as a substitute in the 60th minute to put the African champions in front on Saturday against Zamalek. But it was another Moroccan who ensured a stalemate in the Cairo derby as Mahmoud Bentayg equalised for Zamalek six minutes from time. It was a second game in charge for new Zamalek coach Jose Peseiro, who took Nigeria to the final of the last TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cote d’Ivoire just over one year ago. The draw allowed Pyramids to open up a three-point lead as they scored a last gasp winner on Sunday as they beat Talae El-Geish 2-1 in Cairo. Mohamed Hamdi scored four minutes into stoppage time in a significant boost for Pyramids’ hopes of a first-ever championship. They are on 36 points with Al Ahly on 33 and Zamalek third on 28 points with all three having played 15 games, still not yet at the halfway mark of the season.
ANGOLA
The Girabola is back in full swing after the mid-season break with Petro Atletico five points clear at the top of the table after beating Isaac Benguela 3-2 at home on Saturday. Petro were 2-0 up inside five minute and cruising after scoring the third but then conceded two and had to scramble to hold on for victory in the end, keeping up their chase for a fourth successive league title. Isaac are last in the standings with a single win in 17 games. Wiliete, who are also from Angola’s second city Benguela, kept up second place in the standings with a 1-0 home win over Desportivo Huila. But they needed a 90th minute strike from forward Kaporal to take all three points. Third in the standings are Primeiro Agostio, who played out a goalless draw away at Recreativo Libolo in Calulo on Saturday. The army side are five points behind Wiliete and 10 behind leaders, and archrivals, Petro. Kabuscorp had the biggest win of the weekend as they beat second-from-bottom Carmona from Uige in Luanda on Sunday with goals from Filhao, Enoch (penalty) and Geuda, all in the first half. Another full round of fixtures is scheduled for Wednesday.
DR CONGO
Municipal officials cited security reasons for the derby between TP Mazembe and FC St Eloi Lupopo to be played behind closed doors on Sunday and the absence of a fervent crowd in Lubumbashi weighed heavily on the two teams, who played out a goalless draw. The result left Mazembe still four points ahead of Lupopo in Group A of the Ligue 1 standings but having played one game more. In Group B at Kinshasa’s Stade des Martyrs, Aigles du Congo, under new Belgian coach Luc Eymael, beat New Jak FC to move to within one point of leaders Maniema Union, who next play on Thursday. AS Vita Club then had a chance to advance to 22 points in a second game at the stadium on Sunday but were upset 1-0 by Anges Vert.
COTE D’IVOIRE
Stade Abidjan consolidated their lead at the head of Ligue 1 but struggled at home on Saturday to overcome bottom-placed Olympic Sport Abobo. Alexandre Koffi netted an 87th minute winner for Stade to advance to 42 points from 20 games. They are now five ahead of Academie Amadou Diallo, who dropped points in Sunday’s goalless draw in Abidjan with Zoman. ASEC Abidjan remain in third place despite a home defeat at the Stade Alassane Ouattara Ebimpe by struggling Racing Abidjan, whose 1-0 win lifted them away from of the relegation places. Joining ASEC on 33 points are Mouna FC after they drew 1-1 with AS Denguele in Yamoussoukro.
RWANDA
APR FC missed a chance to cut Rayon Sports’ lead in the Premier League when they lost 1-0 at home to Mukura Victory on Sunday. Rayon had been held to a 1-1 draw 24 hours earlier at Huye Stadium to go to 41 points from 18 games. But APR remain on 37 points after their loss to Destin Malanda’s 19th minute goal at the same venue. Third placed Gorilla FC and fourth placed AS Kigali moved up to 30 points, separated by goal difference only after their goalless draw in Kigali on Sunday.