Mamelodi Sundowns secured a dramatic place in the final of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League after holding Al Ahly to a 1-1 draw in Cairo on Friday night, progressing on the away goals rule.
Following a tense 0-0 stalemate in the first leg in Pretoria, it was Al Ahly who scored first in the return leg at the Cairo International Stadium.
Taher Mohamed gave the hosts the lead midway through the first half, striking from outside the box after being set up by the lively Emam Ashour.
Supported by a passionate home crowd, Al Ahly dominated much of the first half and appeared poised to finally break their winless streak against the South African side.
However, Mamelodi Sundowns demonstrated their resilience and turned the match around in the closing stages.
With ten minutes remaining, a low cross created chaos in the Al Ahly defense, resulting in Yasser Ibrahim inadvertently turning the ball into his own net under pressure from Peter Shalulile.
This was a heartbreaking moment for the Egyptian giants and a lifeline for Sundowns, who realized that a 1-1 draw would be enough to see them through.
Al Ahly pushed forward in search of a late winner, with substitutes Achraf Bencharki and Wessam Abou Ali both coming close in a frantic finale.
But Sundowns, expertly organized by their defense and aided by a bit of luck, held strong to secure a historic qualification.
This achievement marks a significant milestone for the Pretoria-based side, who have now gone nine consecutive matches unbeaten against the record African champions.
Sundownsโ reward is a place in the final, where they will face either Pyramids FC or Orlando Pirates, with the outcome of the second semi-final set to be determined later.
For Al Ahly, it was a night of bitter disappointment despite their valiant efforts, as their dream of extending their record CAF Champions League title came to an end at home.
