Nine-man Mamelodi Sundowns suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Raja Club Athletic in a crucial CAF Champions League Group B clash in Morocco.
Both Group B matches kicked off simultaneously, with AS FAR Rabat hosting AS Maniema Union while Raja faced Sundowns.
Recognizing the importance of a victory, Raja approached the match with intensity.
The encounter quickly became a physical battle, with Lucas Ribeiro and Mohamed Zrida receiving yellow cards within the first six minutes, followed by Federico Bikoro's booking shortly after.
Sundowns were further hampered in the 40th minute when Bathusi Aubaas was sent off for a late tackle.
RAJA CASABLANCA’S GOAL AHEAD OF HALF-TIME
Just before halftime, Raja capitalized on their numerical advantage, with Benaissa Benamar scoring from a corner kick to give the home side a 1-0 lead.
In the second half, Sundowns pressed for an equalizer, with Teboho Mokoena's free-kick well-saved by Anas Zniti.
Ronwen Williams made a crucial double save to keep Sundowns in the game. However, Raja were also reduced to 10 men when Marouane Zila was sent off with 10 minutes remaining.
Sundowns' woes deepened in added time when Khuliso Mudau was shown a red card, leaving them with just nine players on the field.
Ultimately, Sundowns failed to salvage any points, extending their dismal record in Morocco to nine matches without a win (six losses, three draws).
