Mamelodi Sundowns underlined their credentials as one of the title favourites in this season’s CAF Champions League after defeating defending champions Al Ahly 1-0 in their Group A match on Saturday.
Namibian forward Peter Shalulile scored the only goal of the game in the 23rd minute as the South African side completed a home and away double against the 10-time record African champions.
This was Sundowns’ third win against Al Ahly in 12 meetings, coming hot on the heels of last month’s 1-0 win in Cairo, the first time they had triumphed against Al Ahly in Egypt.
Defeat for Al Ahly also capped off a bittersweet week for manager Pitso Mosimane who had just signed a two-year contract extension with the Red Devils.
Sundowns remain unbeaten in Group A with 10 points six clear of Al Ahly and Sudanese sides Al-Hilal Omdurman and Al-Merreikh with two games left to play.
Al-Hilal Omdurman moved up to third place with a 1-0 win against Al-Merreikh on Friday as the race to finish second in the group remains wide open.
Morocco’s Raja Casablanca lost their 100 percent record after throwing away a one-goal lead to lose 2-1 Horoya AC in Conakry.
Ocansey Mandela and Yakhouba Barry scored for the Guinean side to record their first win of the group stage and revive their slim hopes of advancing to the knockout stage.
The other group match saw Algeria’s ES Setif beat Amazulu 2-0 in Algeria to go joint second with the South African side on six points.
In Group C, second half goals from Abdelkader Bedrane and Mohamed Ben Romdhane earned Esperance a 2-0 win away against fellow Tunisian side Etoile du Sahel.
Esperance are joint top with CR Belouizdad with eight points after the Algerian side thumped 10-man Jwaneng Galaxy 4-1 in Algiers.
Etoile du Sahel lies in third with three points while Jwaneng Galaxy, who have been eliminated from the competition, are bottom with a solitary point.
Tiago Azulao netted a brace for Petro Atletico who beat Sagrada 3-0 in an Angolan derby in Group D. Petro Atletico leads the table with 10 points, one ahead of Wydad Athletic Club who defeated five-time winners Zamalek 1-0 on Friday.
Zamalek and Sagrada, who have two points and one point, respectively, have both been eliminated. This is Zamalek’s second successive group stage exit from the competition having finished as runners-up in 2020.
(Story compiled with assistance from wire reports)
