No defeat in 7 in a row for Sundowns against Al Ahly
We are witnessing something extraordinary in African football. Al Ahly is the undisputed king of the continent. They have proven to be the best among the best on the continent. 3 Champions League titles in the last 4 years. The last decade has been a decade for the North Africans with Al Ahly winning three CAF Champions League titles. They are simply the best. They now have a real competitor in Mamelodi Sundowns. It is 7 games in a row, not a single defeat for the Masandawana against the almighty Al Ahly. With 4 wins and 3 draws for Sundowns in the last seven meetings, their last defeat was in the 2020/2021 season when Pitso Mosimani defeated his former club by 2-0 in the first leg of the quarter-finals.
Sundown’s mentality is second to none. Next is a final vs Wydad Club of Morocco who eliminated them in the semi-finals of last season’s CAF Champions League.
Rulani Mokwena is the new kid on the block
He’s only 36 years old. A very young fella who is doing exceptionally well for Sundowns considering his age. He has now faced Marcel Koller on 4 occasions as Al Ahly coach and has won two and drawn 2. The former Grasshoppers, 1. FC Koln, Basel, Bochum and Austria national team coach is a top-notch manager. The 62-year-old has found it difficult to break down Rulain Mokwena’s Sundowns.
Rulani Mokwena was tactically good at the Al Selam Stadium in Cairo last night. They were solid defensively and showed immense composure in dealing with the tricks of the North Africans. He will have a successful coaching career just like his boss, Pitso Motsimane.
Wydad had a sweet revenge in Rades.
2019 was a horrible year for Wydad as CAF ruled in favour of Esperance and subsequently, they won their 5th CAF Champions League after VAR brouhaha.
Wydad took a goal advantage to Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi to face Esperance knowing very well the task at hand. Brazilian forward Rodrigo Rodrigues’66th-minute header from Oussema Bougerra’s cross was the solitary goal of the game. 1-1 on aggregate, No extra time, Wydad qualified via a penalty shootout with the goalscorer, Rodrigo Rodrigues missing his penalty among the 10 penalties.
What a victory it is for the Moroccan giants.
Ronwen Williams showed why he is among the best Keepers on the continent.
The continent is blessed with quality goalkeepers. Yacine Bono, Andre Onana, Mohamed El Shenawy and Edouard Mendy are quality keepers.
South African international Ronwen Williams is also a goalkeeper who deserves his credit. Though he looked a bit shaky last night in Cairo, his penalty save was crucial for Sundowns’ qualification. He faced the experienced Tunisian left back, Ali Maloul, and he saved his penalty in the 11th minute. Ali Maloul is a wonderful penalty taker so to save his penalty at this crucial stage was wonderful.
