CAF Champions League quarter-final draw: Mamelodi Sundowns avoid African giants

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CAF Champions League quarter-final draw: Mamelodi Sundowns avoid African giants

Mamelodi Sundowns have landed a kind draw in the CAF Champions League quarter-final after being paired with Malian side Stade Malien.

Sundowns made it through to the last eight for an eighth straight season after beating Rulani Mokwena’s MC Alger 2-0 last Saturday but it does not get easy as they look to win the title.

The Brazilians will have to contend with a tricky tie after being paired with debutants Stade Malien during the Champions League quarter-final draw held in Cairo on Tuesday.

Sundowns will play the first leg at home before travelling away and have their work cut out against the Malian team who made it to the quarter-final for the first time in their history.

How did Stade Malien make it through?

Aubrey Modiba in action for Mamelodi Sundowns against St Eloi Lupopo.

To show just how tough it could be for Sundowns, Malien topped a Group D that had Tunisian giants Esperance, Angolan giants Petro de Luanda as well as Tanzania’s Simba SC, having accumulated 11 points, two more than the four-time winners, after winning three, drawing two and losing just one match.

Miguel Cardoso’s team are looking for their second star, having last won the title in 2016, and after making the final last season, they are keen to go one better this time.

Sundowns lost last season’s final 3-1 to Pyramids, having edged out Al Ahly in the semi-final and their quarter-final journey included a win over Esperance.

Sundowns have tough route to the final

The other matchups will see Al-Hilal, who finished ahead of Sundowns in Group C, face RS Berkane of Morocco, record 12-time champions Al Ahly taking on Esperance, while defending champions Pyramids will face Morocco’s AS FAR.

Sundowns’ path to glory will, however, be a tough one as if they beat Malien, they will take on the winner between Al Ahly and Esperance in the semi-final, setting up a potential repeat of last season’s clash.

The PSL champions will need to improve remarkably after a shaky group stage run that saw them win just two games, both at home, draw three and lose one. Champions League quarter-final matches will kick off on March 13.

<!-- Author Start -->Joel Oliver<!-- Author End -->

Joel Oliver

Author

Joel Oliver is a seasoned multimedia sports journalist with a rich background in covering diverse football stories and events in South Africa and beyond.
His extensive coverage spans subjects touching on the PSL, with a focus on the Big Three (Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs & Mamelodi Sundowns), Bafana Bafana and Banyana Banyana.

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