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CAF
25-04-2025
- Sport
- CAF
Sundowns edge past Al Ahly on away goals to reach TotalEnergies CAF Champions League final
Published: Friday, 25 April 2025 Mamelodi Sundowns clinched a dramatic spot in the final of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League after holding Al Ahly to a 1-1 draw in Cairo on Friday night, progressing on the away goals rule. After a tense 0-0 stalemate in the first leg in Pretoria, it was Al Ahly who drew first blood in the return leg at the Cairo International Stadium. Taher Mohamed fired the hosts into the lead midway through the first half, smashing home from outside the box after being teed up by the lively Emam Ashour. Backed by a passionate home crowd, Al Ahly dominated much of the first period and looked on course to finally break their winless streak against the South Africans. But Mamelodi Sundowns showed their resilience and turned the tie on its head in the closing stages. With ten minutes remaining, a low cross caused panic in the Ahly defence, resulting in Yasser Ibrahim inadvertently turning the ball into his own net under pressure from Peter Shalulile. It was a heartbreaking moment for the Egyptian giants and a lifeline for Sundowns, who knew a 1-1 draw would be enough to see them through. Al Ahly threw everything forward in search of a late winner, with substitutes Achraf Bencharki and Wessam Abou Ali both going close in a frantic finale. But Sundowns, marshalled superbly by their backline and aided by a bit of fortune, held firm to seal a famous qualification. It marks a significant milestone for Pretoria-based side, who have now gone nine consecutive matches unbeaten against the record African champions. Sundowns' reward is a place in the final, where they will face either Pyramids FC or Orlando Pirates — with the second semi-final set to be decided later. For Al Ahly, it was a night of bitter disappointment despite their brave efforts, as their dream of a record-extending CAF Champions League title came to a crashing halt at home.
TimesLIVE
25-04-2025
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Sundowns qualify for Champions League final with aggregate win over Al Ahly
Mamelodi Sundowns will play in their third Caf Champions League final after they played to a 1-1 draw with Al Ahly in the semifinal at the Cairo International Stadium on Friday night. Al Ahly looked destined for their sixth successive final after Taher Mohamed gave them the lead after 24 minutes but an own goal from Yasser Ibrahim in the dying minutes of regulation time saw the Brazilians go through on away goals. The first leg ended 0-0 at Loftus last weekend and this 1-1 draw, that produced another major VAR talking point, was enough for Sundowns to qualify for their first final since they won it in 2016. This result also means the possibility of an all South African final is alive with Orlando Pirates away to Pyramids FC in the other semifinal that kicked off late on Friday. It also means Sundowns have finally won a semifinal match after back-to-back defeats to Wydad Casablanca and Esperance over the past two seasons. Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso made one change from the first leg with Thapelo Morena coming on for Peter Shalulile to be part of an attack that included Tashreeq Matthews and Lucas Ribeiro.
