A Teboho Mokoena thunderbolt and Ronwen Williams penalty save helped Mamelodi Sundowns silence Moroccan capital Rabat on Sunday, and lift the Caf Champions League title for the second tijme.
Sundowns add a second star
A 1-1 draw against AS FAR at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium was enough to give Miguel Cardoso’s Sundowns a 2-1 aggregate win, on the back of their 1-0 win at Loftus in the first leg.
Mokoena struck in first half stoppage time to level the scores, after AS FAR captain Mohamed Hrimat had given his side lead on the night from the penalty spot.
An eerie quiet fell over a packed stadium when Mokoena struck, as it did when Williams sprung to his left to save Hrimat’s second penalty of the evening about 15 minutes from time.
With that AS FAR’s chances were gone, and Sundowns could gleefully celebrate putting a second star on their jersey, a decade after the first. For Cardoso, meanwhile, this was a moment of redemption in his third successive Champions League final, after losing the first two.
It also made up more than a little for losing out to Orlando Pirates in the race for the Betway Premiership title.
In the first half, AS FAR found some joy down the Sundowns right hand side. Khulumani Ndamane had to clear one early low cross from the left, while another delivery from To Carneiro was well-intercepted by Mokoena.
It was a tetchy game, with Sundowns striker Brayan Leon and AS FAR’s Marouane Louandi both booked for an early spat.
The Moroccan side were in Somalian referee Abdulkadir Artan’s face at every opportunity, either trying to get Sundowns players booked or win penalties. It was unsavoury behaviour, but the one they did get, in the 35th minute, was a fair decision.
Lunga punished
Divine Lunga was caught dawdling on the ball and then clumsily brought down Reda Slim. Artan originally didn’t give the penalty but after a VAR check, pointed to the spot.
Hrimat stepped up and sent Williams the wrong way.
Sundowns had a great chance to level as Lunga crossed from the left, but Leon’s effort was too close to AS FAR goalkeeper Ahmed Tagnaouti.
There was nothing Tagnaouti could do, however, in the last minute of first half stoppage time.
Mokoena magic
Leon’s cross was flicked on by Tashreeq Matthews and Mokoena smashed in an absolute rocket off the underside of the bar.
There was a bizarre moment early in the second half when AS FAR’s Mohamed Hadraf appeared to push his head into Jayden Adams’, with the Sundowns midfielder falling to the turf. Referee Artan, however, opted to book both players.
AS FAR looked like they had run out of ideas until Williams gifted them a penalty in the 75th minute. He spilled a tame shot and then clumsily brought down Youssef Alfahli as the AS FAR man attempted to pounce on the loose ball.
Again it took VAR to intervene and Hrimat stepped up, but Williams redeemed himself, diving to his left to make a brilliant save.
