The road to continental glory heats up as Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates, Al Ahly, and Pyramids FC take control of their quarterfinal ties. Image: Mamelodi Sundowns Magazine.
(The Post News)– The first-leg encounters of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League quarterfinals delivered high-stakes drama on Tuesday, with South African and Egyptian clubs asserting their dominance across the continent.
Orlando Pirates claimed the only away win of the round, securing a hard-fought 1-0 triumph against MC Alger at the 5 July 1962 Stadium in Algiers. Mohau Nkota, a promising young talent, found the back of the net midway through the second half, handing the Buccaneers a vital lead heading into the return leg.
Pyramids FC delivered the most emphatic performance of the night, dismantling ASFAR 4-1 at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo. Fiston Mayele and Ibrahim Adel both bagged braces, leaving the Moroccan side with a daunting task in the second leg. However, Abdelfettah Hadraf’s away goal offers ASFAR a glimmer of hope.
In Pretoria, Mamelodi Sundowns edged Esperance de Tunis 1-0 in a tense affair. A moment of brilliance from Namibian striker Peter Shalulile early in the second half proved enough to separate the two sides in what was otherwise a scrappy contest.
With the return fixtures set for 8 and 9 April, these results put the South African and Egyptian outfits in the driver’s seat, but their opponents still have everything to play for in the quest for a semifinal berth.
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