Mamelodi Sundowns will be heading to the CAF Champions League final second leg in Rabat with a slender 1-0 lead over AS FAR, thanks to a solitary goal from Aubrey Modiba at a sold-out Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Sunday.
Sundowns find themselves in the driving seat of the tie and are surely smelling the Champions League trophy this time around.
Keano Cupido returned to the starting line-up to pair up with young Bafana Bafana international Khulumani Ndamane. And as expected, the home side started strong and on the front foot, enjoying most of the ball in search of an early goal. Indeed, Sundowns saw their patience pay off 38th minutes into the first half, when Aubrey Modiba curled in a wonder-free kick and sent the tense Loftus crowd into a frenzy.
Just as the players were returning on the pitch for the second half, the game was halted for over 20 minutes due to the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) malfunctioning, which led to whistleman Jean-Jacques Ndala taking a big decision to resume the game without VAR.
Brayan Leon missed two seaters, a golden opportunity that could have put them in a much more comfortable position heading into the second leg in Rabat next Sunday.
There were disturbing and worrisome scenes in the stands, where the travelling fans and some Sundowns fans were seen getting involved in a physical altercation.
At some point, it brought back the events of last season, when an Esperance fan almost fell off the railing from the last level, but was saved by a Sundowns supporter. So, such unsavoury scenes don’t have a place in African football.
Nevertheless, the game continued like nothing was happening in the stands, and Masandawana almost repeated what they did in the first half, when Teboho Mokoena almost scored from a free-kick, but his shot hit the woodwork, and they had to settle for a 1-0 win at home.
- Mamelodi Sundowns secured a 1-0 home win against AS FAR in the CAF Champions League first leg, with Aubrey Modiba scoring the sole goal at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.
- Keano Cupido returned to the starting lineup, partnering with Khulumani Ndamane, as Sundowns dominated possession and created early chances.
- The second half was delayed over 20 minutes due to a VAR malfunction, with the match resuming without VAR assistance.
- Brayan Leon missed two key chances for AS FAR, which could have changed the tie’s dynamics before the second leg in Rabat next Sunday.
- Disturbing clashes occurred in the stands involving fans of both teams, reminiscent of past incidents, though the match continued uninterrupted, ending with Sundowns holding a narrow lead.
