* Join Morocco’s RS Berkane & FAR Rabat and Tunisia’s Esperance Sportive de Tunis for the semifinal
* RS Berkane beat Sudan’s Al-Hilal in stoppage time, FAR Rabat knock out title holders Pyramids as Esperance stun Egypt’s Al Ahly
Maravi Express
South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns, the only side left representing Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League, held their nerve under intense pressure against Stade Malien away in Bamako, Mali, when they lost 0-2 but secured a place in the semifinals on 3-2 aggregate.
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The South African side enjoyed a commanding 3-0 first-leg victory, and withstood a fierce challenge from the Malian side in a dramatic encounter on Sunday, to mark their fourth consecutive semifinal appearance — and underlining their growing consistency among Africa’s elite clubs, even as they were pushed to the limit away from home.
They have joined Morocco’s RS Berkane & FAR Rabat and Tunisia’s Esperance Sportive de Tunis for the semifinal after RS Berkane beat Sudan’s Al-Hilal in stoppage time, FAR Rabat knocking out title holders Pyramids and Esperance stunning Egypt’s Al Ahly.
Dream start for Stade Malien
The hosts wasted no time in igniting belief, striking inside the opening minute when Taddeus Nkeng rose above the defence to head home from close range, with VAR confirming the goal after an initial offside flag, sending the home crowd into early celebration.
The goal unsettled Sundowns, who struggled to establish their usual rhythm in the opening stages, with the Malian side pressing aggressively and disrupting their build-up play.
Nkeng thought he had doubled the lead shortly afterwards, finishing calmly after a well-timed through ball, but VAR intervened again to rule the effort out for offside.
Stade Malien continued to threaten and were rewarded just before half-time. Following a scramble in the penalty area, Haman Mandjan reacted quickest to a rebound, striking a powerful effort that crashed in off the underside of the crossbar to make it 2-0 on the night.
At that point, the tie was finely poised, with the aggregate scoreline narrowing and momentum firmly with the hosts.
Sundowns, meanwhile, found it difficult to create clear opportunities, with Arthur Sales coming closest in the first half but unable to convert from close range.
The visitors emerged from the break with greater composure, attempting to slow the tempo and regain control of possession. They thought they had found a crucial away goal when Iqraam Rayners bundled the ball into the net from close range, but the effort was ruled out for offside, denying Sundowns a potentially decisive moment.
Coach Miguel Cardoso turned to his bench in search of stability, introducing fresh legs as the South African side focused on managing the game and protecting their aggregate advantage.
The tension increased further in the closing stages when Sundowns were reduced to 10 men after Aubrey Modiba received a straight red card for a dangerous challenge. Sensing an opportunity, Stade Malien pushed forward relentlessly in search of a third goal that would have forced extra time.
The hosts launched wave after wave of attacks, testing goalkeeper Ronwen Williams with efforts from distance, but the Sundowns defence held firm under sustained pressure.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, the South African side showed resilience and discipline, absorbing the late onslaught to see out the match.
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While the defeat on the night exposed vulnerabilities, Sundowns’ earlier advantage proved decisive as they secured progression to the semi-finals.
For Stade Malien, the result will be a source of pride after a spirited performance that pushed one of the tournament favourites to the brink.
Sundowns, however, continue their continental journey, demonstrating once again that experience and composure can be as crucial as attacking flair in knockout football — as they set to meet Esperance Sportive de Tunis in the semis.
Esperance 3-2 Al Ahly
Esperance Sportive de Tunis produced a stunning performance in Cairo to eliminate Egyptian and African club football giants, Al Ahly, sealing a dramatic 3-2 victory on the night and a 4-2 aggregate triumph to reach the semifinals.
The Tunisian giants, who had already claimed a narrow 1-0 advantage in the first leg in Rades, overturned an early deficit and struck a decisive late winner to silence the Cairo International Stadium and end the hopes of Africa’s most decorated club.
In a match packed with intensity, momentum swings and late drama, Esperance showed resilience and clinical edge to prevail in one of the standout ties of the competition.
Backed by a passionate home crowd, Al Ahly began the match with urgency and attacking intent, knowing they needed to overturn the first-leg deficit and their early pressure paid off in the 10th minute when Mahmoud Hassan capitalised on defensive uncertainty inside the box before firing home to give the hosts the lead and level the tie on aggregate.
The Egyptian side continued to dominate large spells of the first half, creating multiple opportunities through Trezeguet and their attacking midfielders, but Esperance goalkeeper Bechir Ben Said produced a series of crucial saves to keep his side in contention.
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Despite Al Ahly’s superiority, the score remained 1-0 at the break, leaving the tie delicately balanced heading into the second half.
The momentum shifted dramatically after the restart as Esperance emerged with renewed energy and attacking purpose.
Their persistence was rewarded in the 68th minute when Florian Danho struck from distance, his powerful effort beating Mostafa Shobeir to bring the Tunisian side level on the night and restore their aggregate advantage.
The goal injected confidence into Esperance, who began to control the tempo and push Al Ahly deeper.
Moments later, the visitors were awarded a penalty following a defensive error inside the area. Mohamed Amine Tougai stepped up and calmly converted, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way to give Esperance a 2-1 lead and put them firmly in control of the tie.
Al Ahly, refusing to surrender, responded with urgency and threw numbers forward in search of a lifeline.
Their pressure paid off in the 84th minute when a corner kick caused confusion in the Esperance defence, resulting in an own goal that brought the score to 2-2 and reignited hope among the home supporters.
With the match finely poised and tensions rising, both teams pushed for a decisive goal in the closing stages.
But it was Esperance who delivered the final blow. Deep into stoppage time, Hamza Jelassi rose inside the penalty area to head home the winning goal in the 94th minute, completing a dramatic turnaround after earlier putting the ball into his own net.
The goal sparked wild celebrations among the Tunisian players and fans, while leaving the home crowd stunned.
For Al Ahly, the defeat marks a bitter end to their continental campaign, having lost both legs despite periods of dominance, particularly in Cairo. Esperance, meanwhile, advance with renewed belief after a composed and determined display, underlining their credentials as serious contenders for the title.
In a tie defined by fine margins and decisive moments, it was the Tunisian side who seized their chances — and wrote another memorable chapter in African club football history.
RS Berkane 1-0 Al-Hilal
Moroccan club Berkane struck deep into stoppage time to seal a dramatic 1-0 victory over Al-Hilal progressing on 2-1 aggregate win following a tie finely balanced at 1-1 from the first leg, ending Al-Hilal’s campaign in heartbreaking fashion.
The result not only sends Berkane into the last four but also guarantees Morocco a place in the final, with FAR Rabat already through to the semi-finals on the same side of the draw.
Played at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, where Al-Hilal are hosting their continental fixtures, the encounter was defined by tension and fine margins from the opening whistle.
Both sides approached the match cautiously, aware that a single moment could decide the outcome, and the first half passed without a breakthrough despite flashes of attacking intent.
Defensive organisation and discipline dominated proceedings, with neither side able to create clear-cut chances before the interval.
FAR Rabat 2-1 Pyramids FC
Defending champions Pyramids FC have been knocked out after a 2-1 home defeat to Morocco’s FAR Rabat, who sealed a 3-2 aggregate victory to reach the semi-final.
The Egyptian side, held to a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Rabat, needed a strong response in Cairo but instead found themselves undone by a clinical and disciplined performance from the Moroccan military club.
FAR Rabat struck early, extended their advantage after the break, and withstood late pressure from the hosts to secure a famous result that ends Pyramids’ reign as continental champions.
The visitors made a dream start, silencing the home crowd inside the opening 10 minutes. A swift counter-attack down the right saw Youssef El Fahli drive forward before picking out Reda Slim, who finished emphatically into the top corner to give FAR Rabat an early lead.
The goal shifted the momentum firmly in favour of the Moroccan side, forcing Pyramids to chase the game earlier than expected. Despite enjoying more possession as the half progressed, the hosts struggled to break through a well-organised FAR defence.
Their frustration grew midway through the first half when they appealed for a penalty following a suspected handball inside the area. However, after consulting VAR, the referee upheld his original decision, leaving Pyramids without a lifeline.
FAR Rabat continued to threaten on the counter and from set-pieces, and their persistence paid off shortly after the restart when in the 55th minute, Reda Slim turned provider, delivering a precise corner that was met powerfully by captain Rabie El Harimat, whose header beat goalkeeper Ahmed El Shenawy to double the visitors’ lead.
At that stage, Pyramids were staring at elimination and needed an immediate response to keep their hopes alive.
The reaction came almost instantly. Just two minutes later, Fiston Mayele pulled a goal back for the Egyptian side, reacting quickest inside the penalty area to convert from a well-delivered free kick.
The goal reignited belief among the home supporters and set up a tense final half-hour as Pyramids pushed forward in search of an equaliser that would have kept their title defence alive.
Despite their urgency, Pyramids struggled to create clear-cut chances against a disciplined FAR Rabat backline. Mohamed El-Sheibi, one of Pyramids’ standout performers on the night, continued to deliver dangerous balls into the area, but the Moroccan defence remained resolute.
One of the hosts’ best opportunities fell to a late substitute, who fired over the crossbar after meeting a well-placed cross, summing up a frustrating evening for the reigning champions.
At the other end, FAR Rabat managed the game intelligently, slowing the tempo when needed and limiting Pyramids’ attacking rhythm.
The final whistle confirmed a significant result for FAR Rabat, who advance to the semi-finals with confidence after eliminating one of the tournament favourites — and for Pyramids, the defeat marks a disappointing end to their title defence despite entering the tie with high expectations following last season’s triumph.
The Moroccan side will now look ahead to the semi-finals with renewed belief, while Pyramids are left to reflect on missed opportunities in a tie that ultimately slipped away on home soil.—Reporting by CAFonline; edited by Maravi Express
