Huge relief in Tshwane. Mamelodi Sundowns have sealed another CAF Champions League quarterfinal spot.
Colombian striker Brayan Leon scored in either half, first in the sixth minute before completing his brace in the 64th minute.
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CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: MAMELODI SUNDOWNS 2-0 MC ALGER
Kabo Yellow came out with serious intent in the opening 10 minutes, and it paid off in the 6th minute.
Arthur Sales let fly with a powerful effort that the Algerian goalkeeper could only spill. Brayan Leon reacted quickest inside the box, showing sharp striker instincts to guide a composed finish past the stranded keeper.
Between 10 and 25 minutes, Sundowns kept their foot on the pedal. They dominated territory and possession, forcing MC Alger into deep defensive positions.
MC Alger attempted to break through on transition, but Sundowns’ defensive structure stayed compact and disciplined.
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SECOND HALF
The second half followed a familiar script. Sundowns dominated possession until the killer blow in the 64th minute.
A well-worked move down the flank ended with a dangerous delivery across the goal. Leon timed his far-post run perfectly and tapped home from close range.
From there, Sundowns continued with total control. MC Alger chased shadows for long spells as the South African champions calmly saw out the match.
Since lifting the CAF Champions League trophy in 2015/16 with a 3-1 aggregate win over Zamalek, Sundowns have faced many near misses.
The following season, they bowed out in the quarterfinals to Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca, before suffering a group-stage exit in 2017/18.
A semifinal defeat to Wydad came in 2018/19, followed by consecutive quarterfinal losses to Egypt’s Al Ahly in 2019/20 and 2020/21.
In 2021/22, Angola’s Petro de Luanda ended their campaign at the quarterfinal stage, only for Wydad to inflict another semifinal heartbreak in 2022/23.
The 2023/24 season saw them fall in the semifinals to Tunisia’s Esperance, under then-coach Miguel Cardoso, before most recently finishing as runners-up in 2024/25 after a final defeat to Egypt’s Pyramids FC.
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