Sundowns book quarter-final spot with Al Hilal win – 2021/22 CAF Champions League – African Football
Yasir Mozamil Mohamed of Al Hilal challenges Lyle Lakay of Mamelodi Sundowns for possession during the CAF Champions League 2021/22 football match between Al Hilal and Mamelodi Sundowns held at the Al-Hilal Stadium in Omdurman, Sudan on 19 March 2022 ©BackpagePix
Saturday Mar 19, 2022. 17:49
Ten-man Mamelodi Sundowns impressively secured a 4-2 win over Al Hilal in the CAF Champions League Group A match at the Al Hilal Stadium in Sudan on Saturday afternoon.
As a result, the South African champions progressed to the quarter-finals of the tournament with a match to spare as group winners. On the other hand, Sudanese giants Al Hilal remained third on the standings and they will progress to the knockout phase if they defeat Egypt’s Al Ahly in their final game next month.
The Blue Wave would have been wary of Peter Shalulile, who had scored in three successive matches for Masandawana. It took just two minutes for the in-form striker to hand Sundowns a 1-0 lead when he beat goalkeeper Mohamed Abooja with a low strike from inside the hosts’ box.
However, Sundowns were reduced to 10 players after Brian Mandela was shown a straight red card after denying Eid Mugadam a clear goalscoring opportunity. Mohamed Abdelrahman then placed the resultant free-kick which was on the edge of Masandawana’s box over the crossbar.
Despite being numerically disadvantaged Masandawana continued to attack and they were awarded a free-kick in Al Hilal’s half. Teboho Mokoena beat Abooja with a fierce shot from set-piece to double Sundowns’ lead in the 30th minute and they were leading 2-0 at the interval with keeper Reyaad Pieterse having pulled off a fine fabulous to deny Abdelrham in first half stoppage time.
The Blue Wave were determined to level matters after the restart and they managed to pull one back from Yasil Mozamil. The substitute was afforded space and time to shoot – beating Pieterse with a low shot to make it 2-1 11 minutes into the second half as the hosts fought back.
However, Al Hilal’s defence looked vulnerable whenever they pushed forward and they were punished by Thapelo Morena. The speedster was sent through on goal by Lesedi Kapinga’s long ball and he volleyed the ball home to make it 3-1 to Sundowns on the hour-mark.
This goal killed Al Hilal’s momentum at this point and Sundowns surged forward in the latter stages of the game and extended their lead. Neo Maema set up Morena, who completed his brace with a low shot to make it 4-1 to Sundowns with a minute left on the clock.
The hosts were awarded a penalty in stoppage time after Pieterse was adjudged to have fouled Abdelrahman in the visitors’ box. Pieterse made amends by denying Abdelrahman from the spot-kick, but Osman Mokhtar scored from the rebound and the match ended in a 4-2 win in favour of Sundowns.
Al Hilal (0) 2 (Mozamil 56′, Mokhtar 90’+3)
Sundowns (2) 4 (Shalulile 2′, Mokoena 30′, Morena 60, 89′)
Al Hilal: Abooja, Abdallah, Ouattara, Wadah, Ajagun, Mutwakil, Khedr (Mozamil 29′), Abdelrahman, Mustapha (Uromi 64′), Mugadam, Siddig (Mokhtar 75′).
Sundowns: Pieterse, Lakay, B.Onyango, De Reuck, Morena, Jali (Ralani 73′), Mokoena, Domingo (Maboe 62′), Kapinga (Maema 62′), Zwane (Kekana 16′), Shalulile (Vilakazi 73′).