Result: Mamelodi Sundowns 0-2 CR Belouizdad
Date: 09 April 2021
Venue: Loftus Versfeld
Mamelodi Sundowns suffered their first defeat in the CAF Champions League this season after a 2-0 loss to CR Belouizdad in the final Group B match on Friday afternoon.
Sundowns made made six changes from the side that drew with Al Hilal Omdurman, with Ricardo Nascimento, Brian Onyango, George Maluleka, Thapelo Morena and Peter Shalulile all recalled, while Sibusiso Vilakazi got his first start of the season.
The Brazilians were kept at bay in the opening exchanges by a low defensive block from Belouizdad, who had the first chance to break the deadlock in the 20th minute after a cross inside the box but Ahmed Gasmi glanced his header wide.
Amir Sayoud eventually gave the Great Chabab the lead on the half-hour mark after pouncing on Ricardo Goss' error to round the Sundowns shot-stopper and slot into an empty net.
While Sundowns were unable to carve out chances, Gasmi doubled the visitors' lead on the stroke of half-time with a powerful header at the back post from Zine Boulekhoua's cross.
Belouizdad kept on playing on the break early in the second stanza and Houssem Mrezigue came close to making it 3-0 on the hour-mark after going through on goal but his low shot was saved by Goss at the near post.
The Algerian side were defending deep in the last quarter of an hour, absorbing the pressure and frustrating Sundowns who were unable to fashion a clear-cut opening.
The Brazilians lacked their usual cutting edge upfront, as the visitors held on to secure a spot in the quarter-finals while they also ended Sundowns' 28-game unbeaten run across all competitions.
Sundowns: Goss, Nascimento, B.Onyango, Mudau, Modiba, Mvala, Maluleka, Kekana, Morena, Vilakazi, Shalulile.
Subs: Pieterse, De Reuck, Kapinga, Mkhuma, Maboe, Motupa, Lakay.
View the 20 players who left Downs to play abroad:
