JOHANNESBURG, March 15 (AFP) African football briefs on Saturday:

Local succeeds French coach at Stade Tunisien

TUNIS: Local Ahmed Mghribi has succeeded Frenchman Bernard Casoni as coach of Tunisian Super League club Stade Tunisien. Casoni had been in charge only since mid-December and was fired after a 3-0 loss to Olympic Beja.

Central African Republic hire Traore

BANGUI: Idrissa Traore from Burkina Faso has been named coach of minnows Central African Republic. He guided ASEC of Ivory Coast to the African Champions League semi-finals last year.

Stade and Stella stay on top

ABIDJAN: Stade Abidjan outclassed CO Korhogo 3-0 and Stella Abidjan walloped RFC Daoukro 6-0 to remain group leaders after four rounds in the two-pool first phase of the Ivory Coast championship.

Zambian survives hotel fire

LUSAKA: Robby Kilambe, a defender with Zambian Super League club Lusaka Dynamos, is recovering after jumping from the sixth floor of a Johannesburg hotel to escape a fire. He was in South Africa seeking trials. Sudanese coach killed in crash

KHARTOUM: Coach Sadeeq al-Omda was among 25 people killed when a bus collided with a lorry while bringing leading Sudanese club Al-Merreikh back to Khartoum after a league match in a provincial town.

Disastrous debut for Gabon champions

LIBREVILLE: Defending Gabonese champions USM made a disastrous start to the league season, losing 2-0 at home to TP Akwembe. Former title holders FC 105 triumphed 2-0 at Petrosport.

Etoile Filante surrender top spot

OUAGADOUGOU: Long-time pacesetters Etoile Filante surrendered top spot in the Burkina Faso title race after crashing 3-0 at home to lowly Santos. ASFA Yennenga moved into a two-point lead thanks to a 1-0 win over USCO.

Malawi star off to Russia

BLANTYRE: Crack Malawi striker Essau 'Black Snake' Kanyenda has been lent by South Africa Premiership club Jomo Cosmos to Russian outfit Rostselmash for three years. Kanyenda had been linked with French team Marseille. Nonda goal sinks Club Africain

TUNIS: Democratic Republic of Congo striker Shabani Nonda scored the 82nd-minute winner as French league leaders Monaco pipped Club Africain 2-1 in a friendly. Ben Khaled scored for the Tunisians during the first half.

Kenya junior team coach banned

NAIROBI: Tom Olaba, coach of the Kenyan junior team that was disbanded for using over-age players in African championship qualifiers, has been banned for two years.

Liberian club punished for withdrawing

MONROVIA: Liberian club LISCR have been barred from African club competitions for three years and fined 1,500 dollars after withdrawing from a CAF Cup first round tie against Rangers of Nigeria next month.

Angola to host DR Congo

LUANDA: Angola will host the Democratic Republic of Congo on April 4 in a friendly ahead of a Castle Cup Southern Africa championship clash with Zimbabwe in Harare 16 days later.