
Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates are on course for the CAF Champions League semi-finals after crucial first-leg quarter-final victories, writes DYLAN JOHNSON.
Sundowns secured a narrow but vital 1-0 home win over Esperance Tunis in Pretoria, while Pirates stunned MC Alger with a hard-fought away victory in Algeria. Writing for Soccermag, Johnson explains how these results put both South African clubs in control ahead of the return legs.
Last season, Esperance ended Sundowns’ continental hopes in the semi-finals, but this time, Masandawana looks poised for revenge. Pirates, meanwhile, battled relentless pressure from MC Alger but held firm, with 20-year-old Mohau Nkota delivering a crucial away goal. Now, both teams return home with the advantage, ready to book their places in the final four. If their form holds, South Africa could see two teams in the CAF Champions League semi-finals.
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