African Roundup

Roundup of action from across the African soccer leagues:

TUNISIA -- Champions Esperance made a perfect start to their new season by beating CO Transport 3-0 away in their opening match of the season in Tunis on Sunday. Ivorian import Jean-Marc Benie opened the scoring just after the half hour and Imed Ben Younes and Ameur Derbal added further goals in the second half.

Last season's runners-up Etoile Sahel were also winners away from home in their opening match, beating AS Marsa 1-0 with a 62nd minute goal from Aymen Bouchhioua.

Club Africain, also expected to be among the contenders this season, beat CS Sfaxien 2-1 thanks to a late goal from Nabil Missaoui. The match marked a first success for the club's new Turkish coach Muhsin Ertugral.

ALGERIA -- Mohamed Hamdoud took just four minutes to get champions USM Alger off the mark in their search for a third successive league title.

The international defender scored the opening goal in the 3-0 win over JSM Bejaia on Thursday.

Neighbours Mouloudia Alger were one of two sides to post away wins in the first round of league matches, beating ASO Chlef 1-0 with a goal from Fares Djabelkheir.

Mouloudia Oran upset Chabab Belouzidad with a 10th minute goal from Redouane Meziani.

Algeria international Issaad Bourahli scored twice on his debut for his new club Entente Setif after his surprise move away from champions USM Alger but USM Annaba came back to force a 2-2 draw.

IVORY COAST -- Arch rivals ASEC Abidjan and Africa Sports played out a goalless draw in their derby match on Sunday in the third round of the super division.

It was the second meeting in two weeks between the sides, who had also competed in the Ivorian Cup final a fortnight ago which ASEC won on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

The capital's other derby on Saturday saw Stella Abidjan beat Stade Abidjan 2-1 in an incident-filled game in which Stade had goalkeeper Bi Tivioli sent off after five minutes.

Serge Djehoua scored Stella's winner two minutes from time.

NIGERIA -- Enugu Rangers International are now within five points of the leaders of the premier league after a 1-0 win over Dolphins on Sunday.

Okey Odita scored in the 13th minute for the victory, which moves them up to 55 points and remain the only side who can catch defending champions Enyimba, who play an African Champions League match in Egypt on Friday.

Plateau United moved back into third place after beating Jigawa Stars 2-0 on Sunday. Julius Berger are fourth after winning 2-0 against Niger Tornados in Abeotuka on Saturday.

ANGOLA -- Petro Atletico went top of the Girabola on Sunday after easing to a 2-0 win over bottom club Ritondo Malanje in Luanda.

Two goals from captain Flavio pushed Petro up to 42 points, one point ahead of champions AS Aviacao who were held to a goalless draw at third placed Petro Huambo on Saturday.

Petro Huambo are now six points behind the leaders but have a three point lead over fourth placed Primeiro Agosto. The army club managed a 3-2 triumph over Sagrada Esperanca on Saturday.

CAMEROON -- Canon Yaounde, warming up for African Champions League action this weekend, returned to the top of the premier division after a 1-0 win over Bamboutous in Douala.

Canon, forced to play in Douala as the stadium in Yaounde is being repaired, leap-frogged over their opponents who had started the weekend in second place.

Canon now have 44 points, along with Cotonsport of Garoua, who did not play. Bamboutous are third, two points behind. Mount Cameron, winners of the cup last season, also moved into contention with a 1-0 win over Unisport Bafang and are now six points off the pace.

ZAMBIA -- Champions Zanaco are now six points clear of their nearest rivals after a 2-0 away win against National Assembly in the premier division on Sunday.

Internationals Kelvin Kaindu and Edward Kangwa scored the goals in the first half to stretch the Lusaka club's unbeaten run to 14 matches. Zanaco have lost just one of the 17 matches in the league this season.

Power Dynamos moved second with a 2-1 win over Green Buffaloes, who drop from second to fourth place. Francis Kombe, left out of the Zambian squad for the Cosafa Castle Cup semi-final against Malawi in Blantyre on Saturday, scored one of the two goals for Dynamos.

Kabwe Warriors are now third after they beat Nkana FC 2-1 on Saturday.

ZIMBABWE -- Highlanders, who are going for a fifth successive title, moved to within three points of the leadership of the premier division after a 1-0 away win over Chapungu in Gweru on Sunday.

Zimbabwean international midfielder Richard Choruma scored with just three minutes left to keep Highlanders, beaten just once this season, in fourth spot but with three matches in hand on their rivals.

AmaZulu, their Bulawayo neighbours, went top of the standings after a 6-0 thrashing of Wankie with hat-tricks for Norman Komani and Sageby Sandaka.

CAPS United lost top spot after surprisingly losing 2-1 to Motor Action in Harare. Dynamos are now second after winning 2-0 against struggling Blue Swallows.

GHANA -- Asante Kotoko claimed a hard-fought 2-1 win over Sekondi Hasaacas to reclaim the lead in the premier league at the halfway stage.

Edmund Owusu Ansah and Shilla Alhassan scored in the first 10 minutes to lay the platform for the three points, which were enough to stay a point ahead of champions Hearts of Oak.

Hearts had taken over at the top on Wednesday with a 3-1 win against Bofoakwa.