Sundowns fight back in Lubumbashi but pressure mounts
Mamelodi Sundowns walked away from Lubumbashi with mixed emotions after a 1 1 draw against St Eloi Lupopo that keeps their CAF Champions League hopes alive but shaky. The Brazilians needed a strong result to tighten their grip on the quarterfinal race, yet despite dominating most of the match, they were left frustrated by a stubborn Lupopo outfit.
An early Sundowns chance from Khulumani Ndamane set the tone, but the hosts caught the South Africans flat in the 19th minute when Jean Tukumbane broke the defensive line and squared for Enoch Moila to finish from close range. Ronwen Williams could do nothing about it.
Sundowns wrestled control and enjoyed plenty of the ball before halftime, but the final pass continued to evade them.
Adams steps up as Sundowns chase a lifeline
Source: Kaizer Chiefs on X
The second half brought renewed energy. Brayan Leon replaced Peter Shalulile and Arthur Sales looked lively. It was Jayden Adams who eventually delivered the equaliser in the 55th minute with a powerful header from an Aubrey Modiba corner.
Set pieces remained Sundowns’ most dangerous weapon and they came within centimetres of a winner when a follow up effort rattled the crossbar. But despite their control, the decisive goal never arrived.
With one match left in the group, Sundowns remain third behind Al Hilal and MC Alger, meaning their home clash against MC Alger next weekend becomes a high stakes showdown.
Stellenbosch exit after tough night in Congo
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Stellenbosch FC’s journey in the CAF Confederation Cup came to a harsh end after a 3 0 defeat to AS Otoho. Stellies needed a result to keep their campaign alive, but the Congo Premier League leaders proved too strong.
Otoho struck twice late in the first half through Exauce Nzaou and Klegnime Kone. Although Stellenbosch hit the crossbar after the break through Omega Mdaka, they struggled to create enough pressure to stage a comeback. Kone sealed the result with his second goal in the 79th minute.
With only four points from their group stage run, Stellenbosch bow out with one game still to play. Gavin Hunt rotated heavily after their Nedbank Cup win over Kaizer Chiefs, but the gamble never settled as the team battled to find rhythm in the attacking third.
Chiefs take control of Group D with home win
Kaizer Chiefs delivered the weekend’s most encouraging South African result with a 2 1 victory over Al Masry at Peter Mokaba Stadium. The win lifts Amakhosi to the top of Group D and edges them closer to a spot in the knockout rounds.
Flavio Silva opened the scoring with a confidently taken penalty in the first half. Al Masry equalised soon after the break when Abderrahim Deghmoum punished a defensive lapse. Chiefs, however, responded instantly as Aiden McCarthy buried a loose ball inside the box to restore the lead.
Amakhosi created several chances to extend their advantage but were left to settle for a narrow win. They face Zamalek on 15 February in a match that could confirm their return to the latter stages of continental competition.
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