Kotoko lead by a point

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.

Tunisia
The league kicked off on Sunday and champions Esperance made a perfect start by beating CO Transport 3-0 in Tunis.

Ivorian import Jean-Marc Benie opened scoring just after the half hour, with second half goals from Imed Ben Younes and Ameur Derbal sealing the victory.

Etoile Sahel also won away from home in their first match, beating AS Marsa 1-0 through Aymen Bouchhioua's goal.

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 was the first win for the club's new Turkish coach Mushin Ertugal.

Algeria
Mohamed Hamdoud's fourth-minute goal put reigning champions USM Alger on track for a third successive league title.

The international defender scored the opening goal in USM's 3-0 win over JSM Bejaia.

USM Alger are going for fifth title

Algerian international Issaad Bourahli scored twice on his debut for Entente Setif but USM Annaba came back to force a 2-2 draw.

Ivory Coast
Arch-rivals ASEC Mimosas and Africa Sports played out a goalless draw in their derby match 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.

The capital's other derby saw Stella Abidjan beat Stade Abidjan 2-1. Stade had goalkeeper Bi Tivioli sent off after just five minutes.

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

Okey Odita hit the winner in the 13th minute, which moves them up to 55 points. They remain the only side with a chance of catching up with defending champions Enyimba.

Plateau United moved back into third place after beating Jigawa Stars 2-0, while Julius Berger are fourth after a 2-0 triumph over Niger Tornadoes in Abeokuta.

Angola
Petro Atletico went top of the Girabola after easing their way 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.

Cameroon
Canon Yaound�, 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 Yaound� is being repaired, now have 44 points, along with Cotonsport of Garoua, who did not play.

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.

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 league matches played this season. Power Dynamos moved into second place with a 2-1 win over Green Buffaloes and Kabwe Warriors are now third after beating Nkana FC 2-1.

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.

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 rivals, 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.

South Africa: Foreigners from other African countries have already shown in the pre-season Supa Eight competition that they will once again play a major role in this season's South African Premier League.

Zambian international Denis Lota, formerly of Orlando Pirates, helped his new side Moroka Swallows into the semi-finals when he scored the only goal of the match against Golden Arrows in Durban.

Nigerian goalkeeper Greg Etafia also played a major role in Swallows' victory when he saved a penalty three minutes from the end.

In the weekend's second Supa Eight match, veteran Zimbabwean striker Adam Ndlovu scored a golden goal two minutes before the end of extra time to help Dynamos, who are coached by Zambian Jacob Sakala, beat the more fancied Supersport United 1-0 in Pretoria.

Ndlovu, who moved to Dynamos from Moroka Swallows, sneaked in at the near post to meet Joel Seroba's cross and fire Dynamos into the last four where they join Swallows, Jomo Cosmos and Wits University.

Burundian goalkeeper Aime Kitenge kept Dynamos in the game with a series of spectacular saves which won him the man-of-the-match award.

Mali
A goal two minutes from the end of extra time from Sedonoude Janvier Abouta secured a 15th Malian Cup victory for Djoliba.

The Bamako-based club beat Tata of Sikasso 2-1 after extra time in the final in Mopti. Tata were playing in the cup final for the first time and seeking to become only the second side based outside the capital to win the trophy.

For Djoliba, the victory came a week after they lost out in the league race to arch rivals Stade Malien.

Botswana
Township Rollers and Mogoditshane Fighters will contest the final of Botswana's Cup on August 30 after winning their respective semi-finals in a double header at Gaborone's National stadium.