African leagues round-up: Ceramica Cleopatra go joint top in Egypt

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
Ceramica Cleopatra, who won the Egyptian League Cup last season, used the opportunity of the involvement of the Premier League’s top three clubs in CAF Interclub competition at the weekend to move into tied first place in the standings. Friday’s 1-0 away win at El Geisha saw the club advance to 15 points from eight matches, alongside African champions Al Ahly. The Cairo giants, who won in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League on Saturday to book a quarter-final berth, have played one game less, however, and will have an opportunity to re-establish their outright lead when they host El Gouna on Wednesday. Algeria international Ahmed Kendouci scored Ceramica Cleopatra’s winner in the clash in Cairo. Zamalek, who on Sunday ensured they will finish top of their TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup group, are third with 14 points from seven games, ahead on goal difference only from Pyramids, who also made sure of progress to the Champions League last eight with victory in Angola on Saturday. ZED FC had Angola import Dilson to thank for their winner away at Al Ittihad in Alexandria on Saturday that sees them now in fifth place. The 1-0 victory pushed ZED to 13 points in a congested start to the new league season.

CAMEROON
Colombe du Sud kept up their three points advantage at the helm of Elite One after Sunday’s 2-1 home win over struggling Bamboutos in Yaoundé, staying ahead of second placed Gazelle as the top three teams in the league all won at the weekend. Colombe kept up their unbeaten record but had to come from a goal down at half-time with substitutes Eyango Priso and Brice Sindjo turning around the fortunes. Gazelle were 4-1 away victors at Yong Sports Academy in Mbouda, with a double from Serge Daura, and have 14 points from their opening seven matches of the campaign. Victoria United, with Equatorial Guinea-born coach Esono Morenco in charge, are on 13 points after a 3-1 home success over Fortuna Mfou in Limbe despite being reduced to 10 men in the first half. The big attraction of Sunday’s programme was the meeting between Canon Yaoundé and CotonSport, who between them have won 28 league titles. It ended in a 1-1 draw, which left Canon fourth with 12 points and CotonSport four places, and two points, adrift. Carlos Yougouda handed the visitors from Garoua the lead in Yaoundé, but Franck Belobo equalised for ‘Kpakum’.

MALI
Ligue 1 leaders US Bougouba were handed their first defeat of the league season on Saturday away at USFAS Bamako, going down 2-1 in the capital. But they still have three-point lead over the army club, whose success moved them up to second spot, where they have 11 points. Onze Createurs are in third place in the standings with 10 points but have played one game less than the two clubs above them. Afrique Football Elite moved up into fourth with a 2-0 home win on Saturday over Bougouni. Last season’s top two finishers, Djoliba and Stade Malien have much catching up to do as they have only played two league games because of their involvement in the group stages of this season’s continental club competition.

MAURITIUS
Cercle de Joachim kept up their 100% start to the new Super League season as they made it five wins out of five with an emphatic 4-0 triumph over Vacoas-Phoenix in Curepipe on Saturday, but Pamplemousses dropped their first points of the campaign some 24 hours later. They had won their opening four matches but were held to a 1-1 draw at Petite Riviere Noire on Sunday, also at the George V Stadium, and are two points behind in second place, alongside La Cure Waves, who won 1-0 on Friday at home in Port Louis to PAS Mates.

ZAMBIA
There is a four-way tie at the top of the Super League with Nkana marginally ahead on goal difference after a 2-0 home win over Mutondo Stars on Saturday. They are +14, ahead of Kabwe Warriors (+11), ZESCO United (+7) and defending champions Red Arrows (+6). All have 33 points with the campaign having just passed the halfway mark.