Former English Premier League manager Alex McLeish made a winning start in Africa on Sunday with his latest club, Zamalek of Egypt.

The five-time Caf Champions League title-holders debuted in the 2016 edition by defeating Union Douala 1-0 in Cameroon.

Burkina Faso defender Mohamed Koffi scored the last-32, first-leg winner after 59 minutes at the Stade Reunification in Atlantic city Douala.

McLeish, the 57-year-old ex-manager of Birmingham City and Aston Villa, had lost and won domestic league matches since taking over before travelling to Central Africa.

A former manager of Scotland, McLeish became the fourth coach of Zamalek this season after Portuguese, Brazilian and Egyptian handlers were fired.
McLeish moved to Cairo after managing Belgian outfit Genk, saying he "needed a change of scenery".

Although the White Knights have the equal second best record in Caf competitions with nine titles, they have not lifted an African trophy since 2002.

It was a pleasing African debut for the sandy-haired Scot as Cameroonian clubs are traditionally difficult to beat at home in Caf competitions.
Union won the Champions League in 1979 and the African Cup Winners Cup two years later, but have slipped down the African pecking order since.

Al Ahly, neighbours of Zamalek and the most successful Caf club with 19 titles, have also hired a former Premier League manager, Dutchman Martin Jol.

The 60-year-old ex-Tottenham and Fulham boss made a satisfactory African debut on Saturday as the Cairo Red Devils forced a 0-0 draw against Recreativo Libolo in Angola.

Wydad of Morocco coach John Toshack, the former Liverpool striker and twice Real Madrid manager, watched his team demolish CNaPS Sport of Madagascar 5-1 in Casablanca.

Reda Hajhouj converted two penalties and Ismail Haddad bagged a six-minute brace to put the 1992 African champions four goals up within half an hour.
The stunned visitors pulled one goal back before half-time only for Congolese Fabrice Ondama to complete the rout late in the second half.

TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo launched their title defence with a 2-2 draw away to Saint George in Ethiopian city Bahir Dar.

Behailu Assefa put the hosts ahead inside 11 minutes before a capacity 60,000 crowd, only for Ghana-born Daniel Nii Adjei to level in first-half stoppage time.

Saints' Ugandan Isaac Isinde conceded an own-goal a minute into the second half but Adane Girma levelled on the hour mark in a thriller.

Nigerian clubs had mixed luck at home with twice champions Enyimba trouncing Vital'O of Burundi 5-1 in Port Harcourt while Warri Wolves slumped 1-0 to Al Merrikh of Sudan in Warri.

Mfon Udoh scored the two goals that got Enyimba past Vipers of Uganda in a preliminary tie and he bagged another brace against the outclassed Burundians in Port Harcourt.

Samuel Chukwude also scored twice and Ugochukwu Leonard completed the scoring five minutes from time after Hussein Shaban had pulled one goal back.

V Club of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the 2014 runners-up, shaded Ferroviario Maputo of Mozambique 1-0 in Kinshasa.