CAFCL: Sundowns, Mazembe seal quarter-final places after their Group A victories
Mamelodi Sundowns and TP Mazembe sealed their places in the quarter-finals of the CAF Champions League thanks to their Group A wins on Saturday.
South African side Sundowns booked their place in knockout stages with a comfortable 2-0 victory away at Mauritanian club Nouadhibou on Saturday evening.
First-half goals from Grant Kekana and Themba Zwane ensured the Pretoria club progressed to the quarter-finals and keep them in the hunt for the title.
Sundowns started brightly and deservedly went ahead midway through the first half when Kekana headed home a Marcelo Allende free-kick.
The hosts remained in control for the rest of the game, with the lively Zwane adding a second in the 70th minute courtesy of a fine assist from substitute Lebohang Mokoena.
It was a dominant display from Sundowns, who peppered the Nouadhibou goal with shots throughout. Goalkeeper Babacar Diop pulled off several good saves to keep the scoreline respectable for the visitors.
In the end though, Sundowns’ quality shone through as they made it four wins from five games in Group A to book a last-eight spot with one match remaining.
Defeat for Nouadhibou means the Mauritanians are eliminated at the group stage in their first ever Champions League campaign.
Former champions TP Mazembe earlier in the day secured their place in the quarter-finals thanks to their 3-0 win over Pyramids of Egypt.
The match, held in Lubumbashi, saw Mazembe seal the decisive victory with goals from Joel Beya Glody Likonza and Patient Mwamba sealing the win.
With this triumph, the DR Congo club surged to second place in Group A with 10 points, securing their berth in the quarter-finals.
In contrast, Pyramids bid farewell to any hopes hopes of advancing with four points, having one remaining match against Nouadhibou, the Mauritanian champions.
Pyramids commenced the match with promise but squandered a golden opportunity early on when Mostafa Fathi’s shot was blocked by the Mazembe goalkeeper Alioune Faty.
Mazembe swiftly capitalized on their chances, with Beya converting a perfect cross from the right to open the scoring.
Likonza extended the hosts’ lead just before halftime with a skillful exchange inside the penalty area.
Although Mazembe netted a third goal early in the second half, it was disallowed for offside.
Pyramids pushed for a comeback, but Mazembe’s defense stood firm, thwarting Fitson Mayele’s dangerous attempt.
In the dying moments of the match, substitute Mwamba capitalized on a mistake by Pyramids’ Blati Toure, sealing Mazembe’s victory with a composed finish.
