CAF Champions League: Sundowns Survive Bamako Test; RS Berkane Complete Semi-Finals Set up
Mamelodi Sundowns and RS Berkane booked their places in the CAF Champions League semi-finals on Sunday in two nights of high drama that underlined the fine margins of knockout football.
Mamelodi Sundowns withstood a fierce late onslaught from Stade Malien to progress 3-2 on aggregate after a 2-0 defeat in Bamako. The South African champions, who had built a commanding advantage in the first leg, showed resilience and experience to survive a nervy second leg and reach a fourth consecutive semi-final.
Stade Malien produced a dream start when Taddeus Nkeng headed in inside the opening minute, VAR overturning an initial offside flag to confirm the goal. Nkeng thought he had doubled the lead shortly afterwards but was ruled offside by VAR, and the hosts kept up the pressure.
Just before half-time Haman Mandjan scrambled home from a rebound, making it 2-0 on the night and setting up a tense second half. Sundowns thought they had a decisive away goal when Iqraam Rayners bundled the ball in, only for VAR to rule it out for offside. Their task was complicated further when Aubrey Modiba was shown a straight red card late on, leaving the visitors to cling on with ten men. Despite sustained pressure and attempts to force extra time, Sundowns’ defence and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams held firm to see out the tie.
For Stade Malien it was a performance to be proud of after pushing one of the continent’s heavyweights to the limit, but Sundowns’ earlier first-leg cushion ultimately proved decisive.
Elsewhere, RS Berkane produced one of the weekend’s most dramatic moments by reaching the semi-finals for the first time in the club’s history thanks to a stoppage-time winner against Al-Hilal. The Moroccan side claimed a 2-1 aggregate victory after Munir Chouiar netted in the 93rd minute at Kigali’s Amahoro Stadium, where Al-Hilal have been staging their continental fixtures.
The tie had been finely balanced after a 1-1 first leg. The second leg saw few clear-cut chances in a cagey first half, but the match erupted after the interval. Al-Hilal thought they had taken the lead in the 56th minute through Adama Coulibaly, only for VAR to disallow the goal and then award Berkane a penalty from the same sequence. Munir Chouiar saw his spot-kick saved in the 61st minute, keeping the tie level and giving the Sudanese side renewed belief as the match drew toward full time.
Just when extra time seemed likely, Zinedine Machach played a searching pass into the box and Chouiar made no mistake with a low finish in stoppage time. The dramatic strike completed Berkane’s comeback in the tie and sent their players and travelling fans into raptures, while leaving an understandably devastated Al-Hilal side to rue missed opportunities and late heartbreak.
Sundowns continue their continental march, reinforcing their status as one of Africa’s most consistent sides with a fourth straight semi-final appearance. Berkane’s historic progression sets up an all-Moroccan semi-final against FAR Rabat — who had already secured their place — guaranteeing at least one Moroccan representative in the final.
Both ties provided late drama, VAR controversy and powerful reminders that in knockout football experience, composure and belief often make the difference. The semi-final draw promises further high-stakes encounters as the continent’s elite clubs prepare for the run-in to the 2026 CAF Champions League final.
