CAF Champions League
Result: Mamelodi Sundowns 2-0 Al Hilal Omdurman
Date: 13 February 2021
Venue: Loftus Versfeld Stadium
Mamelodi Sundowns enjoyed a perfect start to their CAF Champions League group stage campaign after defeating Sudanese outfit Al-Hilal Omdurman 2-0 on Saturday evening.
Sundowns made two changes from their extra-time win over Stellenbosch FC in the Nedbank Cup, as goalkeeper Denis Onyango and Mothobi Mvala were both recalled while new signing Rushine De Reuck was named on the bench.
The Brazilians were on the front foot in the early exchanges, Mosa Lebusa opened the scoring in the tenth minute with a powerful header from Lyle Lakay's corner.
Masandawana kept on putting Al-Hilal under pressure and creating chances, with Siphelele Mkhulise and Themba Zwane giving the visitors' defence all sorts of problems.
The Blue Wave were getting into the game in the closing phase of the first stanza, limiting Sundowns' chances to set-pieces and fashioning chances going forward but they could not threaten Onyango in goal.
The momentum remained with the visitors in the second half, Mohamed Ouattara going close to getting the equaliser four minutes inside the second stanza with a threatening strike from outside the box that was forced Onyango into a save.
Nasr Omar had a wonderful chance to snatch the equaliser for A-Hilal on the hour-mark after going clear on goal but he was denied by Onyango in a one-on-one situation.
Sundowns were finding chances in the latter stages to kill off the game as Lyle Lakay came close twice with two direct free-kicks, which were both kept out by shot-stopper Mohamed Abooja.
With the game was opening up in the dying minutes, second-half substitute Kermit Erasmus sealed the three points for Sundowns in the last minute with a strike into the bottom corner after he was teed up by Peter Shalulile.
Sundowns XI: Onyango, Nascimento, Lebusa, Coetzee, Lakay, Mvala, Mkhulise, Maboe, Sirino, Zwane, Shalulile.
Subs: Goss, Modiba, De Reuck, Jali, Morena, Kapinga, Erasmus.
Check out Sundowns' preparations for the Al-Hilal clash:
