Modiba magic gives Sundowns Champions League edge

Sundowns should have scored more but take a narrow advantage to Rabat.

Aubrey Modiba’s brilliant free kick gave Sundowns a 1-0 advantage over Morocco’s AS FAR after the first leg of the Caf Champions League final at Loftus Stadium yesterday.

Sundowns’ Modiba lifts the roof off Loftus

Modiba fired a cracking effort past Ahmed Rada Tagnaouti in the 37th minute, but Sundowns will have to hope they do not pay in Rabat for their wastefulness in front of goal in the second half.

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The usually reliable Brayan Leon missed a couple of fine chances, and AS FAR will look to capitalise in front of their own fans in the second leg on Sunday.

Sundowns were boosted by the return of Keanu Cupido to the heart of their defence, the 28 year-old’s injury against Kaizer Chiefs earlier this month not as serious as first thought.

And it was defences that were prominent in the first half, with neither side able to create many clear chances.

In the third minute, Tashreeq Matthews did manage to get behind AS FAR’s defence, but Marouane Louadni got back to make a superb tackle.

The Moroccan side was not completely on the defensive and looked to get at Sundowns where possible. In the 9th minute, Angolan wing back To Carneiro flashed an effort across the face of goal.

As the half wore on, a whipped ball into the area was headed over by Yunis Abdelhamid, while winger Youssef El Fahli also put an effort wide.

It was Sundowns, however, who edged in front. Abdelhamid clumsily brought down Matthews on the edge of the box.

Modiba stepped up and his vicious shot flew over the AS FAR wall. AS FAR goalkeeper Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti got a hand to Modiba’s effortbut could only tip the ball into the corner of the net.

A VAR mess

The start of the second half was delayed by a glitch in the VAR system at Loftus, not a good look for the organisers.

Eventually the game did kick off again, but without VAR.

Sundowns almost doubled their lead in the 57th minute as Modiba found Leon inside the box and he did superbly to create space for himself. The Colombian, however, fizzed a powerful effort just over the bar.

Leon missed an even better chance in the 62nd minute, running clean through onto Matthews’ pass and dragging his shot horribly wide.

Two minutes later, Leon set up Kutlwano Letlhaku, and his effort almost squeezed through the legs of Tagnaouti but was just deflected wide by the AS FAR goalkeeper.

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Sundowns were then dealt a blow as Modiba limped off with an apparent hamstring injury that could also be bad news for Bafana head coach Hugo Broos, who names his final 2026 Fifa World Cup squad on May 27.

Teboho Mokoena then nearly emulated Modiba as his free kick cracked against the post in the 85th minute.