Mamelodi Sundowns secured a 1-0 win over Esperance in the first leg of their CAF Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday afternoon.
CAF Champions League
Halftime: Mamelodi Sundowns 1-0 Esperance
Date: 01 April 2025
Venue: Loftus Versfeld Stadium
Brazilians coach Miguel Cardoso recalled Teboho Mokoena, Lucas Costa Ribeiro and Peter Shalulile following the win over Sekhukhune United in extra-time on Friday, while Bafana Bafana winger Elias Mokwana was named in the visitors' line-up.
The home side enjoyed more of the possession in the early stages first half, similarly to last season's encounter, but they were restricted to efforts from distance, with Mokoena forcing two saves out of Ben Said in the opening 15 minutes.
Esperance, meanwhile, were quite happy to sit back and soak up the pressure for most of the first stanza but Sundowns had done well to stifle any breaks on the counter with Mokwana kept quiet by Khuliso Mudau.
The home fans at Loftus Verseld were nearly silenced in the final eight minutes of the first half as Yan Sasse surged towards the box on a counter, but the Tunisian sent his effort horribly wide of the mark with only Ronwen Williams to beat.
However, Sundowns needed just nine minutes to break the deadlock in the second half when Jayden Adams headed Ribeiro's long-pass into the path of Shalulile to slam home from point-blank range.
The opening goal eventually pushed the Tunisian giants to change their approach as they went on the offensive but they were met by a solid Sundowns defence, who thwarted every opening in the final third from open play.
The South African champions were able to frustrate their opponent until the final whistle and will now head to Tunisia with a goal and a clean sheet.
Here's how they lined up:
Mamelodi Sundowns: Wiliams, Mudau, Modiba, Kekana, Suarez, Mokoena, Allende, Adams, Shalulile, Morena, Ribeiro.
Subs: Onyango, Khoza, Sales, Maema, Rayners, Aubaas, Matthews, Lunga, Maseko
Esperance: Ben Said, Jelassi, Tougai, Ben Hamida, Bouchniba, Guennichi, Ogbelu, Mokwana, Konate, Belaili, Sasse
Subs: Memmiche, Ben Mahomed, Bouzaiene, Koudhai, Tka, Jebali, Hamrouni, Rodrigues, Jabri
