South African side Mamelodi Sundowns secured their second CAF Champions League title after a hard-fought 2-1 aggregate victory over Morocco’s FAR Rabat in the final on Sunday night at the Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
The South African side sealed the title after holding the Moroccan side to a 1-1 draw in the second leg of the final in Rabat, following their narrow 1-0 victory in Pretoria a week earlier.
Teboho Mokoena’s crucial first-half stoppage-time strike and a decisive penalty save from captain Ronwen Williams proved pivotal on a tense night in Morocco, where Sundowns had to withstand sustained pressure from the hosts and a passionate home crowd.
The triumph marked Sundowns’ second Champions League title after their maiden success in 2016 and also handed coach Miguel Cardoso his first continental title after previous disappointments in African club football.
A difficult road to the final
Sundowns’ title-winning campaign was far from straightforward. They played 12 matches en route to the final, winning seven, drawing three and losing two in a journey that tested the squad’s depth, mentality and tactical discipline.
After receiving a bye into the second round, Sundowns faced Nigerian champions Remo Stars and immediately announced themselves with a dominant 5-1 away victory in Abeokuta. Goals from Tashreeq Matthews, Peter Shalulile, Miguel Reisinho, Arthur Sales and Tsiki Ntsabeleng gave the South Africans full control of the tie before they completed the job with a 2-0 home win in Pretoria.
Sundowns finished runners-up in Group C behind Sudan’s Al Hilal after a campaign that included a goalless draw away to MC Alger, a dramatic 2-2 draw with Al Hilal in Pretoria and a 2-1 defeat in Sudan.
At one stage, qualification for the knockout rounds hung in the balance. A 1-1 draw away to DR Congo side Saint Eloi Lupopo left Sundowns needing victory against MC Alger on the final matchday to advance. They responded with a composed 2-0 home win inspired by Brayan Leon’s brace.
In the quarter-finals, they defeated Mali’s Stade Malien 3-0 in Pretoria through goals from Khuliso Mudau, Leon and Iqraam Rayners. Although Stade Malien won the return leg 2-0 in Bamako, Sundowns survived a late scare to progress.
They then overcame Tunisian giants Esperance Sportive de Tunis in the semi-finals, winning both legs 1-0. Colombian forward Brayan Leon scored the decisive goals in both matches as Sundowns reached a second consecutive Champions League final.
The defining moments in Rabat
In the final against FAR Rabat, Sundowns had to dig deep to secure a vital draw and aggregate win.
Backed by a packed home crowd, FAR Rabat dominated possession early and were rewarded when Mohamed Hrimat converted a penalty in the 40th minute after a VAR review penalised Divine Lunga for a challenge on Reda Slim. The goal levelled the tie at 1-1 on aggregate.
But Sundowns responded almost immediately with the moment that ultimately decided the title. In first-half stoppage time, Brayan Leon delivered a cross into the area before Matthews helped the ball into Mokoena’s path. The midfielder struck first time off the underside of the crossbar to restore Sundowns’ aggregate lead.
FAR Rabat continued to press in the second half and were handed another penalty after VAR judged Williams to have fouled Youssef El Fahli. Hrimat stepped up again, but this time Williams produced a crucial save that preserved Sundowns’ advantage.
The South African side held on to secure another historic continental title, a decade after winning their first in 2016.
