JOHANNESBURG, Aug 25 (AFP) - African football briefs on Sunday:

Zimbabwe call up eight 'exiles'

HARARE: Long-serving striker Peter Ndlovu from English first division club Sheffield United is among eight foreign-based players chosen by Zimbabwe for an African Nations Cup qualifier against Mali here on September 8.

Canon race to the top

YAOUNDE: Canon Yaounde won 1-0 at Racing Bafoussam to move two points clear of Bamboutos Mbouda and defending champions Cotonsport Garoua with five rounds left in the Cameroon title race.

Belgium-based Ethiopian called up

ADDIS ABABA: New Ethiopia coach Jochen Figge from Germany has called up foreign-based players Bayu Mulu (Belgium) and Anwar Siraj (Yemen) to face Niger away on September 7 in an African Nations Cup qualifier.

Barakat spot on as Egypt sink Sudan

ALEXANDRIA, Egypt: Footballer of the Year Mohamed Barakat from champions Ismailia converted a penalty in each half as Egypt defeated Sudan 3-0 in an African Nations Cup warm-up match.

Algerian striker joins French club

AJACCIO, France: Yassine Bezzaz, a striker with African Football Confederation Cup holders JS Kabylie of Algeria, has joined French outfit Ajaccio on a four-year contract.

Three murdered after South African league opener

DURBAN, South Africa: Three Manning Rangers supporters were abducted and stabbed to death by an armed gang after watching their team draw 1-1 with Dynamos in the opening match of the South African championship.

Benin star disappears during tour

COTONOU: Belgian police are searching for Benin star Moufou Liamidi, who disappeared during a tour of the country in which the West Africans won two matches and lost four.

Maranatha close on Togo title

LOME: Maranatha, runners-up last year, are poised to become champions of Togo after a 5-0 triumph at lowly Abou Osse. Victory in their final fixture will clinch first place ahead of AS Douane.

Nations Cup hosts to be named in October

CAIRO: A vote to decide whether Algeria, Egypt, Ivory Coast or Libya host the 2006 African Nations Cup will be made at an African Football Confederation meeting here on October 24.

Manchester City sign Algerian midfielder

MANCHESTER, England: Algerian midfielder Karim Kerkar has joined newly promoted English Premiership club Manchester City on a three-month contract. His previous team was Le Havre of France.

Lesotho to tackle Zimbabwe

MASERU: Lesotho will prepare for an African Nations Cup qualifier against World Cup surprise packets Senegal here next month by playing Zimbabwe away on Saturday.

Satellite still tops in Ivory Coast

ABIDJAN: Satellite maintained a three-point lead after six rounds of the Ivory Coast Super League by drawing 1-1 with second-placed JC Abidjan. Title holders ASEC lie third, four points behind with a game in hand.

Sfax striker Younes punishes Zamalek

SFAX, Tunisia: Former national team striker Imed Ben Younes scored twice as 1998 CAF Cup winners CS Sfax of Tunisia defeated four-time African champions Zamalek of Egypt 3-1 in a friendly.

Injury rules Kallon out

FREETOWN: Ace Sierra Leone striker Mohamed Kallon from Italian club Inter Milan has been ruled out of an African Nations Cup qualifier in Equatorial Guinea next month by a thigh strain.

Liberia coach selects three newcomers

MONROVIA: New Liberia coach Kadala Kromah has chosen 12 foreign-based players for an African Nations Cup qualifier in Guinea on September 8, including newcomers Victor Konwolo, Bill Newray and Josiah Seton.

Winning starts for USMA and Kabylie

ALGIERS: Algerian champions USMA began their defence of the title with a 3-1 home win over RC Kouba while perennial challengers JS Kabylie triumphed 2-1 at WA Tlemcen.