African leagues round-up: 16-17 April

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Ghana

Hearts lost their opening league match against Ebusua Dwarfs

Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko, who have perennially dominated the league, both lost on the opening day of the season on Sunday.

Hearts were beaten 3-2 at home by Cape Coast Mysterious Dwarfs while Kotoko went down 2-1 to Berekum Arsenal.

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Algeria

JS Kabylie missed out on a chance to pull within two points of leaders USM Alger.

The second-placed team were held to a goalless draw at home to relegation-threatened USM Annaba.

The league leaders had their match postponed because of their early departure for Cairo where they play in the Champions League on Friday.

Third-placed Mouloudia Alger lost 3-1 to CA Bordj Bou Arreridj.

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South Africa

Kaizer Chiefs maintain pressure on league leaders Orlando Pirates.

Kaizer Chiefs won 2-1 at Ajax Cape Town on Sunday to cut the lead of arch-rivals Orlando Pirates.

Zambian international Collins Mbesuma scored his 18th league goal of the season for Chiefs in the weekend's only Premier League fixture.

Chiefs moved back into second place and set up a potentially decisive encounter against Pirates in the Soweto derby on 30 April.

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Morocco

Wydad Casablanca are in third place

Two goals from Jawad Ouadouch and Mohamed Armoumen gave the Royal Armed Forces a 2-0 victory over Olympique Meknes on Sunday to stay top of the first division.

The win lifted the army club to 47 points, two ahead of champions Raja Casablanca.

Soufiane Alloudi scored a second-half hat-trick as Raja won 5-1 at home to Ittihad Tanger also on Sunday.

Early season leaders Wydad Casablanca dropped five points off the pace in third place after being held 1-1 at Mouloudia Oudja on Saturday.

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Tunisia

Haykel Guemmadia scored two opportunistic goals as CS Sfaxien upset leaders Etoile Sahel 2-0 in Sunday's match in Sfax.

The result allowed champions Esperance a chance to catch up with Etoile du Sahel in the first division standings but they were held to a 2-2 draw by Club Africain in a tempestuous derby at Rades.

Esperance came from two goals down to equalise in the 87th minute through captain Moyin Chaabani, who had netted an own goal in the first half.

Club Africain had two players sent off by German referee Wolfgang Stark.

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Egypt

ENPPI made sure of the runners-up spot in the premier league on Thursday with a 2-0 win over Mansoura, ensuring a first-ever place in next year's African Champions League.

Their cause was also helped by a 6-0 thumping for third-placed Ismaili at the hands of champions Ahly, who are now just one match from ending the season unbeaten.

Mohamed Barakat scored a hat-trick for Ahly to move them to 71 points out of a possible 75 this season.

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Nigeria

Enyimba still head the table

African champions Enyimba were held to a 0-0 draw at Wikki Tourists on Sunday but still enjoy a two-point lead in the standings.

Enugu Rangers moved second after they won 1-0 at home to Sharks.

Gombe United remain four points behind Enyimba after a 2-2 away draw at Gateway.

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Ivory Coast

ASEC Abidjan kept up their one-point lead over arch-rivals Africa Sports with both sides winning at the weekend.

ASEC won 2-0 at home to CO Bouafle.

Abourahmane Diaby scored an early goal with Vincent N'Dri adding the second in the second half on Saturday.

Africa Sports were 1-0 winners on Sunday over Bingerville with a late face-saving goal from substitute Philippe Souanga.

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Angola

AS Aviacao striker Love scored a late equaliser to keep his club on top of the Girabola standings after a 1-1 draw with Primeiro Agosto in Sunday's Luanda derby.

The champions lead on goal difference from InterClube with Primeiro Maio one point behind in third place.

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Zambia

Bottom-placed Lusaka Dynamos ended Chambishi's unbeaten start to the season with a resounding 3-0 win on Sunday.

Power Dynamos, Kitwe United and Nkwazi FC all remain unbeaten, but played out goalless draws in their games on Sunday.

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Senegal

Port Autonome preserved their lead in the first division despite a 2-1 defeat at Compaigne Societe Sucre on Saturday.

The leaders squandered a penalty which could have secured a draw.

They are three points ahead of SONACOS, who beat Renaissance Yoff by a single goal.

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Tanzania

Simba lost to leaders Yanga

Simba defeated their arch-rivals Yanga 2-1 on Sunday.

Yanga opened the scoring in the 39th minute through Aron Nyanda before Nurdin Msigwa headed home an equaliser for the defending champions in the 43th minute.

The goal which sunk Yanga was scored by Mohammed Abdallah Machupa in the 64th minute.

In Sunday's other matches, Bandari defeated Majimaji 3-0, Ruvu JKT beat Police 2-1 while Bandari thrashed Majimaji 3-0.

Prisons managed a 0-0 draw with the newly-promoted Kagera Sugar.

Yanga lead the 16-team standings with 16 points.

Mtibwa are second with 13 points while JKT Ruvu occupy the third position with 13 points.

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Kenya

Ulinzi, Kenya's representatives in the East and Central African Club championship, finally lost their unbeaten record when they were beaten 2-1 by Nzoia.

After holding on to a 1-1 score until the 89th minute, Ulinzi lost their unbeaten record after defender Geofrey Kokoyo scored an own goal.

Mumias remain the only unbeaten side in the 24-team league. They still head Group A with 50 points, followed by Ulinzi with 37 points. Nzoia are third on 35 points.

In some of the other matches, Gor Mahia thrashed Kangemi 3-0, while AFC Leopards beat National Bank of Kenya 2-1.

Harambee Stars midfielder MacDonald Mariga scored the lone goal in Tusker's 1-0 win over Administration Police.

But in their second match of the weekend, Tusker were held to a goalless draw by Chemilil Sugar while Leopards drew 0-0 with Kenya Commercial Bank.

Chemilil have dislodged Red Berets from the top of the table in Group B and now have 40 points.

Tusker are second on 37, same as the Red Berets, who are third on goals difference. Mathare United are in fourth place on 35.