Mamelodi Sundowns Triumph Over Esperance in Dramatic CAF Champions League Showdown in Rades

This result paves the way for Sundowns to potentially reach their second consecutive Champions League final, although they face significant challenges in the upcoming second leg in Pretoria on Saturday.

Here are the key takeaways from the match.

Stunning strike

The turning point arrived in the 51st minute, courtesy of Colombian Brayan Leon, who scored with a close-range header.

This expertly executed goal stemmed from Jayden Adams’ long ball to the right flank, volleyed into the six-yard box by Thapelo Morena, allowing Leon to find the net as he manoeuvred between two defenders.

Leon continues to impress since his January signing, netting his ninth goal, four of which have come during the Champions League. With 10 starts and 18 appearances in total, his scoring record has been exceptional.

Missed opportunities

Arthur Sales has been struggling with confidence lately and again found himself in a promising position but hesitated too long, resulting in his shot being blocked.

Despite being an outstanding talent, he seems to be lacking in self-belief. If Sundowns can help him regain his form, they will present a far greater threat to their opponents.

Sales has not scored for the club since finding the net against Al-Hilal in January and has managed only five goals in all competitions this season—too few for a player of his calibre.

Florian Danho from Esperance came close to scoring, hitting the upright with a powerful volley and later missing a header, reminding everyone that the Tunisians remain a formidable force.

Disallowed goal

Esperance believed they had levelled the score through Aboubacar Diakite, but the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) intervened, having detected a foul on goalkeeper Ronwen Williams that had initially gone unnoticed.

The foul occurred when defender Hamza Jelassi’s elbow struck Williams in the face as he contested the ball with teammate Sales. The incident caused a loss of possession, allowing Onuche Ogbelu to cross for substitute Diakite to score from a header.

Initially, it appeared as though Sales had committed a foul against his own keeper, but after reviewing the incident on the touchline monitor, referee Mustapha Ghorbal determined that Williams had indeed been fouled, leading to the disallowance of Diakite’s goal.

In hindsight, Williams might have been better off punching the cross instead of attempting to catch it, marking a fortunate escape for Sundowns.

Outstanding Mudau

Right-back Khuliso Mudau put in two crucial first-half interventions, showcasing precisely why Esperance were interested in signing him at the start of the season.

Mudau was absent at the beginning of the season due to attempts to negotiate a move away from Sundowns, only to return after Sundowns retained their position.

Grant Kekana also made a commendable tackle, hoping his performance caught the eye of Hugo Broos for a return to the Bafana Bafana squad.

Unfortunately, Kekana later received a red card for a high boot— a decision that may be justified by a yellow card instead.

Potential final opponents

If Sundowns can finish the job, they are likely to face FAR Rabat in the finals.

FAR Rabat took on newcomers Renaissance Berkane in a derby on Saturday night, with second-half goals from Ahmed Hammoudan and substitute Khalid Ait Ouarkhane leading the military side to a 2-0 victory in their semi-final first leg.

Hammoudan scored in the 58th minute, followed by Ait Ouarkhane securing the second ten minutes before full-time. The deciding leg will be held next Saturday night in Berkane.