Africa roundup: Mighty Ahly make winning start in Egypt

African giants Al Ahly opened their Egyptian Premier League campaign at the weekend by defeating Misr Lel Makkasa 3-1 with a late goal from Amr al Sulaya sealing success.

It took the 2020 Caf Champions League winners just five minutes to score with Tunisian Ali Maaloul converting a penalty, but Marwan Hamdy levelled before halftime.

Mahmoud Kahraba put Ahly ahead again and Al Sulaya netted three minutes from time as Ahly began pursuing a record-extending 43rd national title.

Here we round up the action from major African leagues at the weekend.

• Egypt

Zamalek, runners-up last season and traditionally the greatest rivals of Ahly, launched their campaign with an impressive 2-0 win at Al Mokawloon Al Arab.

Khaled Husseiny conceded an own goal during the opening half and star forward Mostafa Mohamed gave the five-time African champions breathing space with a 90th-minute goal.

The expensively assembled Pyramids, who are desperate to end the decades-old domestic dominance of Ahly and Zamalek, fell 2-1 to Al Ittihad with Khaled Metwalli snatching a last-minute winner.

• Ghana

Michelle Sarpong bagged a brace as famed Ghana Premier League club Hearts of Oak ended a three-match winless start to the season by overwhelming Dreams FC 3-0 in Accra.

The match marked the competitive debut of Serb coach Kosta Papic as former African champions Hearts seek a first Ghanaian title since 2009.

Hearts lie ninth, six points behind frontrunners Karela United, who overcame King Faisal 2-0 thanks to goals late in each half from Diawisie Taylor and Kwame Boateng.

• Morocco

Ittihad Tangier are the only Moroccan Botola Pro 1 club with a perfect record after three rounds thanks to a 1-0 away win over FUS Rabat.

Tarik Astati struck the only goal midway through the first half by converting a penalty for the club who won the 2018 championship.

Title-holders and three-time African champions Raja Casablanca are second, two points behind, after trouncing Mouloudia Oudja 3-0 with Congolese Ben Malango among the goals.

• Tanzania

The top of the table has a familiar look 15 rounds into the Tanzanian Premier League season with perennial title contenders Young Africans and Simba occupying the first two places.

Yacouba Songne scored in each half as Young Africans routed hosts Mwadui 5-0 to retain an eight-point lead, but they have played two matches more than Simba.

Defending champions Simba had a much tougher time garnering maximum points with John Bocco scoring in a 1-0 win at struggling Mbeya City.

• Tunisia

Etoile Sahel are the only Tunisian Ligue 1 club with a 100 per cent record just two rounds into the new season.

The club from Mediterranean resort Sousse won 2-0 at home against Etoile Metlaoui through goals from Wajdi Kechrida and Ivorian Souleymane Coulibaly.

Defending champions Esperance are among five clubs sharing second spot on four points after Libyan Hamdou el Houni netted to deliver a 1-0 win at US Monastir.

• Zambia

Narrow home victories enabled Buildcon and Zesco United to sit atop the Zambian Premier League with 18 points each after 10 rounds.

Emmanuel Mwiinde was the toast of Buildon as his stoppage-time goal brought a 2-1 victory over bottom club Kitwe United.

Zesco left it almost as late to edge mid-table Indeni 3-2 with Logic Ching'andu scoring the match-winner in the final minute of regulation time.

• Algeria

Entente Setif, one of three Algerian winners of the Caf Champions League, are the Ligue 1 pacesetters with seven points after three rounds following a 2-0 win at bottom-of-the-table USM Bel Abbes.

The Black Eagles, who were African champions in 1988 and again in 2014, scored 14 minutes into each half through Houssam Ghacha and Youcef Laouafi.

JS Saoura and US Biskra forced 0-0 away draws to share second place and title-holders CR Belouizdad lie eighth, but they have played only one match because of Caf Champions League commitments.