On paper, Mamelodi Sundowns appear to have one leg in the semifinals of this year’s CAF Champions League, but talk is cheap.
The 2016 champions will face Algerian side CR Belouizdad in the quarterfinals after the draw in Cairo, Egypt, this week. The first leg will see Sundowns travel to Algeria on April 21, with the return leg scheduled a week later.
Belouizdad are no strangers to Sundowns. The two sides met in the group stage in 2021. In the first leg away, Sundowns trashed the hapless North Africans 5-1 in a match that took place in Tanzania after the Algerian authorities barred the Tshwane side from entering Algeria due to Covid-19 restrictions. In the second leg, Belouizdad won 2-0 in Pretoria, but Sundowns had already won their group and opted to field fringe players.
The “Brazilians” are not only tipped to make it to the last four but to go on to win the tournament and break north Africa’s stranglehold. In fact, it’s Sundowns versus North Africa, as Rulani Mokwena’s charges are likely to face only teams from that region if they go to the final.
If Sundowns get past Belouizdad and reach the last four, they will face either Tanzania’s Simba or the Moroccans, Wydad Casablanca, whom they have met on 10 previous occasions in this tournament.
Raja Casablanca, Al Ahly, Esperance, and JS Kabylie await, as the pathway shows one of these North African teams will be in the final. Keep in mind that the last six winners of the Champions League have all come from North Africa, but Sundowns, who are the last winners from outside north Africa, have sent a strong warning that they are in it to win it after beating Egyptian powerhouse Al Ahly 5-2 in the group stage. All eyes are on Sundowns, because, after all, they showed class against a team that has won this tournament a 10 times.
The Tshwane side is in the quarterfinals for the fifth time in a row, and on home soil, they wrapped up their sixth league title on the trot, with seven matches to go.
Mokwena, however, is treading carefully. “I strongly believe this team will eventually win the Champions League. When? I can’t play God, but I know that every single day we work towards this objective,” he said.
Belouizdad, however, will not be a lamb to the slaughter. They are on course for their fourth league title in Algeria, being six points ahead with four games in hand. In the Champions League, they beat Egyptian giants Zamalek twice to finish second behind Esperance.
If anything, Belouizdad will be an acid test for Sundowns.
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