Al Ahly derby win shakes up Egyptian title race as Medeama pull clear in Ghana
African football is alive every weekend with exciting league action around the continent, and our weekly round-up highlights a selection of the most important results.
EGYPT
Former TotalEnergies CAF Champions League winners Al Ahly won the Cairo derby against Zamalek in convincing fashion on Friday to put themselves back into the race for the Premier League title.
The result left Zamalek tied at the top of the standings with Pyramids on 50 points, with Ahly lurking ominously three points behind.
Zamalek have let slip a five-point lead by collecting a single point from their last two outings, likely distracted by the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup final against USM Alger over the next week. Zamalek, however, can still determine their own destiny in the league and, if they win their last two fixtures, will take a first league title in four years. They have a better head-to-head record against Pyramids.
Ahly’s win in the derby came courtesy of two goals from Moroccan import Achraf Bencharki and another from Hussein El-Shahat. At the same time, outgoing African champions Pyramids were 3-2 winners over ENPPI, with a double from Mostafa Zico.
GHANA
Medeama extended their lead in the Premier League with a 2-0 victory over Bibiani Gold Stars in their top-of-the-table clash on Sunday and are now five points clear at the head of the standings with four matches to play.
The club from Tarkwa, coached by former Bundesliga attacker Ibrahim Tanko, are chasing a second title to add to their league success in 2023.
Salim Adams scored both goals in a highly charged affair in the first half to take Medeama to 56 points and leave Bibiani on 51. Hearts of Oak lie third on 49 points after an important 1-0 away win at Nations in Abrankese.
Mawuli Wayo’s 11th-minute goal ensured Nations’ first home defeat of the season and left them still hovering above the relegation places.
With Hohoe United banned for three seasons and demoted after failing to honour their fixtures, and Eleven Wonders already relegated, there is now a battle to avoid the third relegation slot, with Berekum Chelsea in the most danger as they prepare to host Medeama in their next league outing.
DR CONGO
Eight teams are contesting the championship round for the Linafoot Ligue 1 title, but only Maniema Union and TP Mazembe were winners in the first round of matches.
Maniema, who have never won a league title, were 2-0 away winners over Don Bosco in Lubumbashi, followed by Mazembe’s 2-0 victory over AS Vita Club in a double-header feature at Stade TP Mazembe on Friday.
Maniema, who on Monday appointed Ivorian Lassina Kone as their new coach, opened the scoring against Don Bosco with a penalty from Burkinabe import Clement Pitroipa and added a second in stoppage time through striker Beni Namboka.
Mazembe’s success was given a boost when Vita went down to 10 men in the 72nd minute, followed by Ndongala opening the scoring in the 74th minute and Fofana sealing the points four minutes from the end.
On Monday, Vita lost a second game in Lubumbashi as they went down 2-1 to Don Bosco at the start of the second round of fixtures.
LESOTHO
Lijabatho are on the brink of taking a first Premier League title after they took full advantage of a slip by closest rivals Bantu to open up a four-point lead at the head of the standings.
With only two rounds left of the campaign, Lijabatho will win the league if they are victorious in their next outing. They sit on 59 points, four ahead of Bantu, who were held to a 1-1 draw at Lifofane in Maputsoe on Friday.
Lijabatho then won 2-0 away to Lesotho Mounted Police Service in Maseru on Sunday, with goals on either side of the break from experienced Basotho international Jane Thabantso and Siphamandla Klassen.