Other Leagues
Exciting photo-finish in some of Africa’s top leagues
The curtains have officially closed across most African domestic championships, with a few gradually approaching the business end of their football calendars.
With a place in next season’s CAF Inter-club competitions on the cards for the best finishers and national cup winners, CAFOnline takes a look at some of Africa’s top leagues, with some having concluded and a few nearing the finish line in what will be a photo-finish to their respective seasons.
Algeria – Ligue 1
MC Alger are the new champions of Algerian football after dethroning former champions, CR Belouizdad.
Alger clinched their 8th title in what was one of their best performances in the championship. The newly crowned champions finished 12 points ahead of Belouizdad with an impressive 65 points that sees them secure a place in next season’s TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
Ghana – Ghana Premier League
History was made in the Ghana Premier League this season after Samartex, who were in their second season in top-flight football were crowned champions of Ghana.
The club sent shockwaves across Ghana with an impressive 61-point finish that saw them clinch the first ever title with an impressive 10-point gap between them and Accra Lions.
Medeama, who won the title last season finished a disappointing 8th place with 49 points.
Morocco – Botola Pro
It was an exciting photo-finish to the Botola Pro in Morocco which was decided on the very last day of the season.
Raja Casablanca dethroned AS Far as Moroccan champions after clinching the title in style with a commanding 3-0 win over MCO Oujda on the very last day of the championship.
The two-horse race between Raja and FAR Rabat who were edged by the champions by a mere point, despite their 2-0 win over FUS Rabat.
Tanzania – Tanzania Premier League
Young Africans will be back in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League next season after their successful title defence of the Tanzanian Premier League title.
Yanga, as the Tanzanian giants are affectionately known cruised to a record-extending 31st league title, finishing with a healthy 11-point gap over second placed Azam FC who finished the season on 69 points alongside Simba SC.
South Africa – Premier Soccer League
Mamelodi Sundowns rubber-stamped their authority as the most successful club in South Africa’s Premier Soccer League after clinching an impressive seventh successive league title, making them the most successful club in the league with 17 league titles in total.
Sundowns’ rivals and former African champions, Orlando Pirates will make a return to the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League after finishing second behind Sundowns.
Meanwhile, the race for the title continues in Tunisia and Egypt with Esperance leading the pack in Tunisia’s Ligue 1, while Pyramids occupy the driver’s seat in the Egyptian Premier League
-CAF
A goal scored under soccer’s experimental “daylight” offside rule was allowed for the first time in a professional match on Saturday, with Pacific FC forward Alejandro Diaz on target in a 2-2 draw with Halifax Wanderers in the Canadian Premier League.
The strike would have been ruled out under the standard International Football Association Board Laws of the Game, but stood under the CPL’s ongoing trial conducted in cooperation with FIFA.
The Canadian league is testing the rule this season as part of efforts to reduce marginal offside decisions and encourage attacking play.
Under the system, an attacker is only deemed offside if there is clear “daylight” between them and the second-last defender, rather than being penalised for narrowly being ahead.
The concept, long advocated by former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger in his role as FIFA’s head of global football development, is being assessed in Canada as a potential change to the offside law.
Diaz’s goal marked the first in-game application of the interpretation, which resulted directly in a goal, offering a glimpse of how the rule could alter attacking patterns and defensive positioning.
The CPL, which launched the trial earlier this month, has provided FIFA with a professional testing ground for the proposal as soccer’s world governing body evaluates whether to expand its use more broadly.
Reuters
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Al-Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy was handed a four-match ban after striking a referee on the head following a 1-1 draw with Ceramica Cleopatra, the Egyptian Pro League said on Thursday.
The Egypt international, who was on the bench for Tuesday’s game, was incensed after Al-Ahly’s appeal for a penalty following a handball in stoppage time was denied.
“He handed a four‑match ban and fined 50,000 Egyptian pounds ($942) for assaulting the referee by pushing or pulling (use of the hand without violence),” the league said in a statement.
The ban means El-Shenawy, who is expected to be Egypt’s starting goalkeeper at the World Cup in North America, will be sidelined until the final week of the league play-offs.
Al-Ahly are third on 41 points, five points behind leaders Zamalek.
-Reuters
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Galatasaray have strengthened their squad with another Napoli player, announcing on Friday that Dutch winger Noa Lang has joined the Turkish champions on loan for the remainder of the season, linking up with former Napoli player, Victor Osimhen in Istanbul.
The Super Lig giants confirmed that they have reached an agreement with Napoli for the temporary transfer of the 15-cap Netherlands international, with the deal including a non-mandatory purchase option that Galatasaray may activate at the end of the season.
Under the terms of the agreement, Galatasaray will pay €2 million as a loan fee to Napoli, while Lang will earn a seasonal salary of €1.75 million, according to a statement released by the club.
Lang joined Napoli last year from PSV Eindhoven but struggled to fully establish himself in Italy. He featured in 27 matches across all competitions, scoring once during his time with the Serie A side.
His arrival adds attacking depth to Galatasaray and further strengthens the Napoli connection at the club, with Osimhen already a central figure in their squad as they continue to push for domestic success and progress in European competition.
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