PRETORIA — South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns put up a performance for the days, crushing record champions Al-Ahly of Egypt 5-2 in Pretoria to confirm their place in the quarter-finals of the CAF Champions League.
The Brazilians were in emphatic form totally dominating the Egyptians to move to the top of Group B with 10 points, six ahead of Ahly who remained third with two matches left and Al-Hilal of Sudan, who has nine.
Marcelo Allende, Themba Zwane, Teboho Mokoena and a Peter Shalulile double in the second half gave Sundowns the massive victory with Ahly’s consolations scored by Sherif Mohamed and Percy Tau.
The South African side was fast off the blocks and just three minutes into the game, they were leading when Allende scored with a brilliant low drive from distance.
But, Ahly worked their way back into the game and Sherif struck them level in the 13th minute.
Sundowns lost the ball in their half and Ahmed Kendouci played Sherif through, the latter striking low into the bottom right with keeper Ronwen Williams yards off his line.
The pace of the game was high, with each side giving in a good account. But it was Ahly who would get the next goal, Zwane striking the hosts 2-1 up in the 24th minute.
The skipper picked the ball inside the box before firing past the keeper after a corner was recycled into the area.
Sundowns kept their dominance and took a 3-1 lead at the break when Mokoena struck a brilliant shot from distance five minutes to half-time.
In the second-half, Ahly started off with a double sub Mohamed Magdy Afsha and Ahmed Abdelkader coming in for Kendouci and Mohamed Taher.
The changes had an impact as Ahly was more effective offensively and they clawed one goal back on the hour mark when Tau finished off an assist from Ali Maaloul.
Ahly’s hopes of a comeback were however dashed in the 71st minute when Shalulile scored the first of his pair before he completed his brace in the 88th minute with a shot on the turn inside the box.
Holders Wydad stays top in Group A
Defending champions Wydad Athletic Club inched closer to the quarter-finals after beating Petro de Luanda 2-0 in Angola.
Second-half goals from Arsene Zola and Bouly Junior Sambou gave Wydad the victory, and a second consecutive for returning coach Juan Carlos Garrido.
With the win, the holders top Group A with nine points, five ahead of third placed Petro and will only need a point in their next match to affirm a place in the last eight.
They completed a home and away sweep over Petro, showing resurgence after a slow start to the group phase.
Home side Petro was more adventurous in an opening half that didn’t bear goals.
Petro’s chances of qualification is now slim and now has to win away to second placed JS Kabylie next weekend to have any realistic hopes.
They had some chances, with the best being in the 37th minute. Anderson Cruz struck a shot from distance which the keeper saved, with Tiago Azulao following up on the rebound but it was blocked against the crossbar by a defender.
At the stroke of half-time, Gilberto sneaked on the blindside of a defender to head a cross goalward, but it couldn’t hit the target.
In the second half, Zola gave Wydad the lead after 59th minutes when the goalkeeper failed to comfortably clear out a corner and the Congolese defender managed to guide the ball home from close range.
The home side, rattled by the goal, picked up the tempo and tried to get themselves back into the game.
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