CAF Quarter-Finals Go to the Wire

RACE:   A dominant first-leg display puts Mamelodi Sundowns on the brink of another semi-final, while three other CAF Champions League ties remain finely balanced ahead of a decisive weekend…

By WSAM Sports Correspondent

Mamelodi Sundowns carry South Africa’s hopes — and a commanding advantage — into a decisive weekend of TotalEnergies CAF Champions League action, as the race for semi-final places reaches its climax across the continent.

The Brazilians’ emphatic 3-0 first-leg victory over Stade Malien in Pretoria has tilted the balance firmly in their favour, placing them within touching distance of a third consecutive semi-final appearance. For a side that has built its modern identity on continental consistency, the task in Bamako is clear: finish the job with professionalism and composure.

Yet, African club football has a long memory of improbable comebacks, and Stade Malien will lean heavily on home support in a bid to produce one of them. Sundowns, however, arrive with the confidence, depth, and tactical discipline of a team that understands exactly what this stage demands.

Their position stands in contrast to the uncertainty gripping the competition’s other three quarter-final ties, all of which remain delicately poised.

Defending champions Pyramids FC return to Cairo with a slight edge after securing a 1-1 draw away to AS FAR. The Egyptians will back themselves at home, but the Moroccans have shown enough resilience to suggest the tie is far from settled.

In Cairo, another heavyweight clash takes centre stage as record champions Al Ahly SC face Espérance Sportive de Tunis in a high-stakes North African derby. Esperance hold a narrow 1-0 advantage from the first leg, but Al Ahly’s formidable home pedigree in continental football ensures the outcome remains unpredictable. Few rivalries in African football carry as much history — or pressure — as this one.

Meanwhile, Sudan’s Al Hilal Omdurman and Morocco’s RS Berkane are locked at 1-1 heading into their second leg, setting the stage for a tightly contested battle where margins are expected to be razor-thin.

Across all four ties, the first-leg results have underscored the competitiveness of this season’s knockout phase. Clubs from across Africa remain firmly in contention, each chasing a place in the semi-finals scheduled for April — and ultimately, a shot at continental glory.

But while others wrestle with uncertainty, Sundowns travel north with clarity and control.

The equation is simple: avoid collapse, manage the tempo, and assert their pedigree.

If they do, South Africa will once again have a powerful presence in the final four.

2025/26 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League – Quarter-final second-leg fixtures (All times in GMT):

Saturday, March 21

       16:00 – Pyramids FC (Egypt) vs AS FAR (Morocco)

       19:00 – Al Ahly SC (Egypt) vs Esperance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia)

Sunday, March 22

       16:00 – Al Hilal Omdurman (Sudan) vs RS Berkane (Morocco)

       16:00 – Stade Malien (Mali) vs Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)