CAF Champions League
AFRICAN GIANTS, AHLY, SLAUGHTERED IN SOUTH AFRICA!
It may have been a dream for South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns to beat the Egyptian giants and record eight-time winners Ahly, it was more than a nightmare for the Egyptians as they suffered their worst ever defeat in African competitions.
Al Ahly were massacred 5-0 loss by South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday.
The embarrassing defeat in the first leg of the African Champions League quarter-final almost certainly ends Ahly’s bid for their first accolade since 2013.
It also surpassed their 3-0 loss to Nigeria’s Enugu Rangers in the CAF Cup, the old version of the Confederation Cup, in 2003 as their biggest ever defeat.
Sundowns, cheered on by a passionate crowd at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria, went to the locker room two up, thanks to goals from Themba Zwane and Wayne Arendse.
The visitors’ disastrous defence was torn to shreds in the second half, with three further goals from Ricardo Nascimento (penalty), Gaston Sirino and ex-Ahly forward Phakamani Mahlambi compounding the misery of the Red Devils.
Ahly host the second leg in Suez next weekend, where they would be looking to restore some of their shattered pride.
The stunning reverse in Pretoria will heap pressure on Uruguayan coach Martin Lasarte, whose arrival coincided with a January spending spree that yielded immediate results in the Egyptian Premier League, with Ahly closing to within two points of perennial rivals Zamalek on top.
Ahly were pegged back from the early stages, with Sundowns moving the ball around smoothly and leaving opposing defenders chasing shadows with an intricate passing game.
They deservedly went ahead on 14 minutes when a long ball found Tebogo Langerman unmarked on the left to send an inviting low cross that was turned in by Zwane from close range.
It was a one-way traffic from then on, with Sundowns repeatedly exploiting gaps in a shaky backline to launch a wave after wave of attacks.
Lebohang Maboe was denied by keeper Mohamed El-Shennawi in a one-on-one on 22 minutes but Arendse made amends one later, sneaking in to convert a floated free kick from close range after once again catching the entire backline off-guard.
Ahly’s bid to get back into the game was not helped by an injury that hit central defender Saad Samir, who made way for Yasser Ibrahim before coach Lasarte made a second early substitution by introducing playmaker Nasser Maher to add much-needed spark as the team sought to push forward.
But Ahly were still given three let-offs in quick succession, with the woodwork denying Sundowns twice and Sirino volleying over the bar with the goal at his mercy.
Ahly’s solitary chance fell to Amr El-Sulaya on the stroke of halftime but he could only send a weak effort into the keeper’s hands from six yards out.
Sundowns overwhelmed their helpless opponents after the break and they were awarded a dubious penalty in the 47th minute when El-Shennawi appeared to have felled an opponent, although television replays suggested that there was no contact.
Nascimento sent El-Shennawi the wrong way from the spot and a demoralized Ahly looked to have given up at this point, surrendering possession far too easily and failing to muster a single effort on goal.
Sirino added the fourth in the 62nd minute with a powerful shot from inside the area after the defence failed to intercept a square pass and Mahlambi completed the rout with a sliding effort into an unguarded net following a low cross from the right hand side of the area seven minutes from time.
CAF Champions League
Brazil’s Ribeiro Costa Gone, Rivalry Renewed: Mamelodi Sundowns Reshape Squad Before Remo Stars Showdown
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Mamelodi’s talismanic Brazilian player, Lucas Ribeiro Costa has made a sudden departure from the club which is well known for its Brazil-styled football attire. The departure of the player has forced a tactical reset at Sundowns ahead of the CAF Champions League second round clash with Remo Stars.
On the other hand, Nigeria’s champions, Remo Stars, are bracing up for a titanic CAF Champions League second-round showdown against Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa — a fixture that not only promises fireworks on the pitch but also rekindles one of African football’s most intense rivalries.
The first leg of the tie will take place in Abeokuta, the temporary home ground of Remo Stars with the return fixture scheduled for South Africa.
Sundowns, are continental heavyweights — former African champions and perennial campaigners known for their fluid attacking football.
However, the South Africans will enter this contest amid tactical reshuffling following the shock departure of Ribeiro, their Brazilian talisman and last season’s Premier Soccer League (PSL) Footballer of the Year.
New coach Miguel Cardoso has acknowledged the impact of Ribeiro’s exit but insists the Tshwane-based side are evolving into a more unified team rather than relying on individual brilliance.
“No player will replace Lucas because that’s not what we are looking for,” Cardoso told reporters after Sundowns’ first league loss of the season.
“We are looking to reinforce the team and make it completely different. Ribeiro was unique, but now we must play more as a collective.”
Cardoso revealed that Sundowns have recruited Portuguese playmaker Nuno Santos from Vitória Guimarães and are closing in on another Portuguese midfielder, Miguel Reisinho, to enhance their creative options.
Despite this transition phase, the South African champions remain formidable, boasting one of the continent’s most technically balanced squads. Their clash with Nigeria’s Remo Stars — debutants in this elite stage — offers a fascinating contrast between experience and ambition.
Beyond the football itself, the fixture taps into a storied Nigeria–South Africa rivalry that has shaped African football narratives for decades — from national team duels at the Africa Cup of Nations to club-level battles in CAF competitions.
Matches between sides from both nations have often been fierce, emotionally charged, and symbolic of continental supremacy.
For Remo Stars, this encounter represents both a massive test and an opportunity to make a statement.
The Ikenne-based side, known for their youthful energy and tactical discipline, will aim to upset the odds against one of Africa’s richest and most accomplished clubs.
Their head coach, Daniel Ogunmodede, is expected to lean on the attacking prowess of Adams Olamilekan and the creativity of Ebuka Anthony to breach Sundowns’ disciplined defence.
With pride, prestige, and progression on the line, all eyes will be on the two legs of this Nigeria–South Africa contest — a battle that goes beyond footballing tactics to touch the nerve of a continental rivalry steeped in passion and history.
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Rivers United have advanced to the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League after defeating Les Aigles of the Democratic Republic of Congo 1–0 in the return leg on Sunday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo.
Following a goalless stalemate in the first leg in Kinshasa, the Nigerian side sealed progression on a 1–0 aggregate scoreline, thanks to a first-half strike that proved decisive in a tightly contested encounter.
The win sends Rivers United into the second preliminary round, where they will face the winner of the tie between AC Léopards of Congo and Black Bulls of Mozambique.
With this result, Rivers United join Remo Stars in the second round of the CAF Champions League.
The next round is scheduled to hold between October 17 and 26, while the group stage kicks off in November
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Remo Stars have sealed their passage into the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League after edging Comoros’ US Zilimadjou 1–0 in Abeokuta on Friday, completing an emphatic 5–0 aggregate victory.
Forward Alex Oyowah struck the decisive goal in the 74th minute, calmly converting from the penalty spot to settle the return leg at the MKO Abiola International Stadium.
With a four-goal cushion from the first leg in – courtesy of strikes from Lamine Ndenge, Ebuka Anthony, Adams Goïta and Seun Olasupo – coach Daniel Ogunmodede’s side approached the second leg tie with composure and tactical discipline.
Despite Zilimadjou’s spirited attempt to salvage pride, Remo Stars’ organisation off the ball ensured the visitors rarely threatened.
The Sky Blue Stars grew in confidence as the game wore on, controlling possession and protecting their clean sheet before Oyowah’s late strike put the result beyond doubt.
The Nigerian side will now brace for a tougher test in October when they meet South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns in what promises to be one of the glamour fixtures of the next round.
Other return-leg fixtures across the continent are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, with the full line-up for the second preliminary round to be confirmed thereafter.
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