In the South African Premier Soccer League, games will resume in full swing Tuesday, April 25, 2017.
Fixtures will see Chippa United up against Maritzburg United, Polokwane City squaring Golden Arrows and Cape Town City hoping to extend its lead against joint-second-placed Kaizer Chiefs.
Last Wednesday’s top-of-the-table clash with Bidvest Wits produced a drab one-all affair, helping Cape Town stay in control.
Title holders Mamelodi Sundowns face Ajax Cape Town.
Kenya
Posta Rangers is the outfit wowing spectators, initially trailing Gor Mahia before eventually leapfrogging them on the table top.
Rangers beat Kariobangi Sharks to front the standings on a solitary point after Mahia got held 0-0 by last year’s trophy winners Tusker.
The Kenyan Premier League is just seven games old but things are looking interesting with already six clubs ardent on giving Rangers a tough go in the title race.
Nigeria
Kano Pillars and bottom-placed Enugu Rangers was the sole fixture for the weekend in Nigeria with over ten games postponed.
However, action is expected to resume this Wednesday with new leaders Plateau United to grind it out against second-from-bottom placed Remo Stars, in a 3pm kickoff.
On the table standings, a point separates United and second-placed Mountain of Fire and Miracles.
Rivers United and Shining Stars are the other teams on the wrong end of the table.
Ghana
It is a happy moment for clubs in Ghana after the FA secured a new sponsor for the league. NASCO Electronics inked a sponsorship package with the FA early this week.
The package includes man-of-the-match awards, coach and player of the month awards. The man-of-the-match, to be decided by the game commissioner, will secure an X5 phone while the player and coach of the month will be selected in a vote.
NASCO will also foot the bill for the end of the year annual gala night.
Concerning the league, WAFA stays top but by a fragile point. Aduana Stars, Hearts of Oak, and Astante Kotoko are 2nd, 3rd, and 4th respectively. Great Olympics, Bolga All Stars and Ashanti Gold occupy the basement.
Senegal
It’s seven games to the end of the league in Senegal. Surprise-makers Generation Foot – the feeder club to Metz –stays top on 38 points. Foot is beating all odds this season and is on the brink of achieving a Leicester-title-win in its first season in top flight football.
Foot however got held 1-1 by Diambars over the weekend, its fifth draw in 19 games. Jaaraf is second with Niarry Tally third.
Goree beat Teungueth 3-0, Ouakam labored past ASEC Ndiambour 1-0 and Casa Sport also whooped Guediawaye on a similar score, in other results for the weekend.
Algeria
JS Kabylie was slugging it out with fourth-placed USM Alger and MC Oran played Mo Bejaia at press time on Monday. Strugglers Kabylie went into the game on the back of a 2-1 win over CA Batna.
ES Setif leads by seven points having played twenty-four (24) games losing only five times.
Tunisia
It’s a heated affair in the title play-off. Multiple winners ES Tunis on Sunday trounced Metlaoui 3-0 to consolidate its grip on the table top.
Etoile du Sahel who overcame Ben Guerdane over the weekend, is piling pressure on Tunis with only a point between them.
Club African and CS Sfaxien settled for a one-all stalemate in another league fixture.
Stade Gabesien, Gabes Hammam-Lif, CA Bizertin, Marsa, Kairouan, Tatouine and Zarzis are the teams in the relegation play-offs.
Morocco
Wydad Casablanca is being given a hot chase by Difaa El Jadida with twenty-five (25) games played so far. Wydad won the derby with town rivals Casablanca on Sunday with a lone goal enough to do damage.
Title holders FUS Rabat, also managed a 1-0 win over Olympic Safi but is way off the title race.
Egypt
Al Ahly sits atop on a massive ten-point advantage while Zamalek on Monday sailed over Al Masry 1-0 courtesy of Shikabala’s tenth minute goal, to move to fourth position.
Featured photo: Kaizer Chiefs fans. (Gallo Images)
