Champions League: The Sundowns tame hope and will find Al Ahly in the semi-finals
This article was automatically translated from HIBAPRESS, the Arabic version:
Hibapress-Rabat-Caf
The South Africans of the Mamelodi Sundowns qualified Tuesday evening for the semi-finals of the Totalnergies Champions League, after having stood up to the Hope of Tunis (0-0) in Radès. A sufficient result to validate their ticket thanks to their short success obtained in the first leg (1-0). They will face the title holder, Al Ahly SC.
The goal scored by Peter Shalulile last week in Pretoria will therefore have weighed heavily. By winning on all two matches, the 2016 African champions continue their quest for a second continental coronation, which they hope to win after several frustrating campaigns.
Tuesday, in the electric atmosphere of the Radès stadium, Hope immediately tried to shake up its opponent. From the 2nd minute, the essential Youcef Belaïli forced Ronwen Williams to a first reflex parade. The South African goalkeeper, elected best African goalkeeper of the year, was going to be decisive several times during the evening.
Despite the constant pressure of the Tunisians, the Sundowns were able to keep their serenity and their collective mastery. Faithful to their posed game, they deprived their usable balloons, while getting the sharpest occasions.
Just before the break, Lucas Ribeiro, the elegant Brazilian, almost turned the meeting of a shot rolled up after a beautiful chain on the right side. Then Marcello Allende made the transverse tremble with a distant strike, a sign that visitors remained dangerous in transition.
Hope thought it had found the flaw in the second half. But the realization of Achref Jabri was canceled for an offside position after consultation with the Var, plunging the stadium into incredulous silence. This fact of play symbolizes the offensive limits of the Tunisian club, finalist of the previous edition but out of inspiration on Tuesday evening.
At the end of a closed but tense match, the Sundowns validated their qualification without conceding the slightest goal on the double confrontation. They will find in the semi-finals Al Ahly SC, solid winner of Al Hilal (1-0) at the same time in Omdurman, thanks to a goal from Ahmed Abdelkader. Already victorious 1-0 to go to Cairo, the Egyptians settle again among the last contenders in the title.
The semi-final between Sundowns and Al Ahly promises to be a real final before the hour, between two of the most structured training on the continent.
