Nuno Santos and Peter Shalulile were on target as the Brazilians sealed a dominant 7-1 aggregate triumph.
Mamelodi Sundowns cruised to a routine 2-0 victory over Remo Stars in the second leg of the CAF Champions League preliminary round at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday afternoon.
Sundowns dominant
Nuno Santos and Peter Shalulile were on target as the Brazilians sealed a dominant 7-1 aggregate triumph, booking their place in the group stages of Africa’s premier club competition for an impressive 11th consecutive season.
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Having dismantled the Nigerian side 5-1 in the first leg, Sundowns hardly needed to break a sweat to confirm their qualification. Head coach Miguel Cardoso, however, refused to take any chances, naming a strong starting line-up.
Ronwen Williams, Malibongwe Khoza and Miguel Reisinho made way, while Denis Onyango, Grant Kekana and Arthur Sales were restored to the starting XI in what proved another comfortable outing for the Tshwane giants in front of their home supporters.
Santos opened the scoring in the 21st minute, controlling expertly inside the box before firing home from an Aubrey Modiba cross on the left flank. The visitors faced an uphill battle from that moment, and their hopes were effectively extinguished when Shalulile doubled the lead on the stroke of half-time to make it 2-0.
It was the Namibian striker’s second goal in as many matches, effectively putting qualification beyond doubt. The second half was largely a formality, with Sundowns content to keep possession and control the tempo while Remo Stars sought to avoid further damage against the 2016 African champions.
Cardoso took the opportunity to ring the changes, introducing several fresh legs to wind down the clock. The reigning South African champions never needed to get out of second gear as they comfortably booked their passage to the next phase.
Real challenge begins now
Masandawana continue to underline their dominance at this stage of continental competition. Last season, they dispatched Mbabane Swallows of Eswatini 8-0 on aggregate, and their relentless pursuit of continental glory took another step in the right direction.
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The real challenge, however, begins in the group phase, where Sundowns will face stiffer opposition. The draw for the round-robin stage is set to take place early next month where the 16 winners from the second qualifying round will be drawn into four groups of four teams.