Shalulile strike hands Sundowns first-leg advantage over Esperance
Mamelodi Sundowns earned a narrow but crucial 1-0 win over Esperance de Tunis in the first leg of their TotalEnergies CAF Champions League quarter-final clash at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Tuesday.
Peter Shalulile proved the match-winner for the South African champions, poking home from close range in the 54th minute after a clever headed assist from Jayden Adams.
It was a hard-fought affair in Pretoria, with both sides creating chances in an evenly balanced first half that ultimately ended goalless.
Teboho Mokoena was the most threatening for the hosts early on, forcing Esperance goalkeeper Béchir Ben Saïd into a fine save with a stinging long-range effort in the 16th minute.
Esperance, four-time African champions, looked dangerous on the break but were unable to find the final touch, with efforts from Yan Sasse and Youcef Belaïli failing to test Ronwen Williams in goal for Sundowns.
The breakthrough came just after the break when Adams rose highest to flick a cross into the path of Shalulile, who finished calmly to give Sundowns the lead and send the home fans into celebration.
Despite making several attacking substitutions, the visitors struggled to break down a disciplined Sundowns backline.
Tempers flared late in the match, with Belaïli receiving a yellow card in stoppage time, as the Tunisians' frustration grew.
Rulani Mokwena's side will now take a slender advantage into the second leg in Tunis, knowing a draw would be enough to send them into the semi-finals.
The tie remains delicately poised, but the Brazilians will be confident after keeping a clean sheet at home.
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