WeeklySA_AdminCAF SEMI-FINALS: SUNDOWNS GO THROUGH WHILE PIRATES FALTER
By Ali Mphaki
It was a night of contrasting fortunes for two of the biggest clubs in South African football featuring in the CAF Champions League semi-finals in Egypt on Friday with Mamelodi Sundowns going through while Orlando Pirates faltered.
The Brazilians, as Sundowns are known, kept their nerve to obliterate a determined Al Ahly (Red Devils)on aggregate, stunning the raucous 60 000 crowd at the Cairo stadium into silence to book their place in the CAF Champions League final.
The two-legged tie ended 0-0 in South Africa.
Al Ahly took control of the return leg when Taher Mohamed fired the hosts into the lead midway through the first half, finishing a pass from Emam Ashour.
With the boisterous crowd behind them, the Egyptian giants dominated the opening half and looked poised to end their winless streak against the South Africans. The Pretoria-based side were on the verge of being knocked out of the tournament.
But Sundowns had other plans.
If anything, it was the introduction late in the game of veteran midfielder Themba Zwane whose presence could be likened to the Biblical Moses when he parted the Red Sea. Prior his introduction, Sundowns were a bit disjointed and lacked the fluidity characteristic of their play.
Come the 80th minute when Zwane tapped a low cross into the box forcing defender Yasser Ibrahim into scoring an own goal under pressure from another late substitute Peter Shalulile, giving Sundows the crucial away goal.
The hosts threw everything at Sundowns as they probed for a wining goal, but Masandawana held firm to secure qualification, with the match ending 1-all.
In an interview with SABC Sport, Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso claimed his team eliminated the defending champions due to the trust they have in everything they believe in.
Sundowns will face another Egyptian heavyweight in Pyramids FC who eliminated Orlando Pirates 3-2 on Friday night also in Cairo.
It was a most gutting experience at 30 June Stadium for the Buccaneers who were within touching distance of another appearance in the final, 30 years since their historic continental triumph.
Having played to a goalless draw in the opening leg at FNB Stadium, they bowed out of the competition as their unbeaten run ended in the cruellest manner on their return to the Egyptian capital.
Their opponents meanwhile qualified for their first ever Champions League final after maintaining the impressive home record they kept throughout the campaign.
At the end, the scenes at both Pirates and Sundowns’ dressing rooms said it all.
Joy for the Masandawana and tears for Amabhakabhaka.
