Mamelodi Sundowns have triumphed in a tense quarter-final battle against Espérance Sportive de Tunis, securing their coveted spot in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League semi-finals.
The Brazilians demonstrated resilience and tactical discipline in the second leg of their quarter-final tie, holding Espérance to a goalless draw at the Stade Olympique de Radès in Tunisia on Tuesday evening.
This hard-fought result, combined with their slender 1-0 victory in the first leg, propelled the South African giants into the final four with a slender 1 nil aggregate score line.
The opening stanza was a captivating spectacle of pace, intensity, and physicality, largely dominated by Downs. Despite their control of the tie and numerous forays into the Espérance half, they were left to rue a series of missed opportunities in front of goal, particularly as the sides went into the break.
Read: Al Ahly cruise into semi-finals with back to back wins
Lucas Ribeiro proved a constant menace to the Tunis defense with his incisive runs and attacking intent, but he was among those who failed to find the target. Jayden Adams also had glimpses of goal but couldn’t convert, and the biggest chance of the half fell to Marcelo Allende just three minutes before the break, only for his well-struck shot to agonizingly hit the woodwork, leaving the Sundowns faithful holding their breath.
Mamelodi Sundowns arrived in Tunisia carrying a crucial one-goal advantage from their home leg victory a week prior. The lead ultimately proved decisive, allowing them to navigate the hostile atmosphere and secure their passage to the semi-finals against an Espérance outfit who had dashed Sundowns’ hopes in the semi-finals of last season’s tournament. This victory, therefore, carries an extra layer of satisfaction for the South African champions.
Despite Sundowns’ dominance for large stretches, Espérance did have their moments early in the game, with the skillful Yocef Belaili proving a constant thorn in the side of the Sundowns defense. Just two minutes into the match, Belaili’s dangerous free-kick found Mohammed Tougai, but his effort was expertly thwarted by the in-form Sundowns goalkeeper, Ronwen Williams. The home side also threatened from another set-piece situation, with Ogbelu Onuche failing to direct his header on target.
The second half commenced with Espérance returning with the same high intensity, pushing numbers into the Sundowns’ penalty area. However, their attacking endeavors were consistently let down by a lack of precision in the final touch and the unwavering awareness and solid organization of Williams and his defense throughout the night.
Just after the hour mark, Ribeiro had another attempt on goal, forcing a save from the Espérance goalkeeper. Sundowns were almost made to pay for their missed chances just two minutes later when Achraf Jabri fired home what appeared to be the equalizer for the Tunisian side.
However, the celebrations were short-lived as the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) intervened, disallowing the goal for offside, much to the relief of the current Betway Premiership log leaders, who edged closer to their ambition of securing a second star on their badge.
Despite Espérance’s desperate attempts to level the aggregate score, including the disallowed goal in the 63rd minute, Mamelodi Sundowns held firm, displaying remarkable composure and defensive solidity to see out the goalless draw.