Sundowns aim to continue dominance over Al Ahly

Mamelodi Sundowns will aim to continue their recent dominance over Al Ahly when the teams meet in the first leg of their CAF Champions League semifinal, set for the Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Saturday 19 April 2025.

Kick-off is at 3pm CAT.

MATCH BACKGROUND

Sundowns have not lost a game to Al Ahly since 2021, putting together a seven-match unbeaten sequence against the Egyptian heavyweights.

However, the Red Eagles are the pre-eminent power of the African Champions League (reigning title holders and record 12-time winners) and are almost never regarded as the underdogs in a knockout tie in this competition.

As such, Sundowns will need to show the same kind of intensity and discipline which saw them overcome Esperance de Tunis 1-0 on aggregate in the previous round.

Coach Miguel Cardoso would have particularly enjoyed that triumph against his former employers, but it will have far less lasting resonance if the Brazilians then fall to the Red Eagles.

Sundowns come into the clash on the back of a disappointing 2-1 loss at home to Kaizer Chiefs in the semifinals of the Nedbank Cup this past Sunday – a match in which the cumulative fatigue of another busy season appeared to bite the Tshwane side hard.

Yet Al Ahly didn’t exactly set the world alight in their 2-0 aggregate win over a displaced Al Hilal (of Sudan, but based in Mauritania due to a civil war in their country) in the previous round, and they too had a disappointing domestic result this past weekend when they could only draw 1-1 with Pyramids FC.

In fact, coach Marcel Koller is under major pressure to win this tie against Sundowns, with Egyptian media reports suggesting that his job is very much on the line.

WHAT THE TEAMS ARE SAYING

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso on the challenge of facing Al Ahly:

“Well we know that Al Ahly in the last seven, eight years they won a lot of Champions League [titles]. Last year, unfortunately, I lost the final against them [while in charge of Esperance de Tunis] but I think it’s possible to beat them.

"But we need to make two very, very complete games, two very strong games played on the details for sure. So we need to be very strong, we need to prepare ourselves in the best way.”

Al Ahly coach Marcel Koller on what he expects in the two matches against Mamelodi Sundowns:

“We faced Sundowns in many matches, and our goal was to qualify for the final. Sundowns have the motivation to win, and Al Ahly is capable of winning the title. The team's performance wasn't the best.

"All possibilities are open to Sundowns. The matches will be difficult, and we want to win the third consecutive title and achieve a historic achievement.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Mamelodi Sundowns, Teboho Mokoena

The classy midfielder will need to be at his best to ensure Sundowns take full control of the ‘engine room’ against a classy outfit like Al Ahly. And Mokoena will also offer a goal threat with his sledge-hammer right foot, as was demonstrated with his superb strike against Kaizer Chiefs last weekend.

Al Ahly, Emam Ashour

With five goals in the Champions League this season, Al Ahly’s Emam Ashour is the co-leading scorer alongside Pyramids FC’s Ibrahim Adel. The 27-year-old attacker will be the Red Eagles’ best chance of scoring an away goal or two in Pretoria on Saturday afternoon.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

In head-to-head stats, Sundowns and Al Ahly have met in 16 matches – 14 in the Champions League and two in the African Football League – with the Brazilians and the Red Eagles both claiming five wins, while six games have been drawn.

While their overall record is even, Sundowns have dominated the rivalry in recent years. The South African club is unbeaten against their Egyptian counterparts in the last seven meetings of the teams. That includes a 1-0 aggregate win in the semifinals of the African Football League in 2023 – the most recent meetings of these heavyweight clubs.