The just ended weekend had blockbuster football matchups with the Caf champions semifinal first legs taking place on Saturday and Sunday respectively, with Tunisian giants Esperance de Tunis taking on Tshwane giants Mamelodi Sundowns, whilst in an all-Moroccan affair AS FAR took on RS Berkane.
The all-Moroccan semifinal was the first one to take place though the headline match up was certainly the one involving Esperance and Mamelodi Sundowns, with the 2 sides meeting again for the 2nd consecutive season in the knockout stages of Africa’s elite club football competition. The all-Moroccan affair was more of a rollercoaster ride for AS FAR as they trounced RS Berkane 2 nil in the capital Rabat leaving RS Berkane with an uphill task in the 2nd leg to overturn the 2-goal deficit.
Morocco fresh from hosting the Africa cup of nations where they lost in the final to Senegal have seen their club football on an upward trajectory with their club teams reaching the business end of the continent’s club football competitions, with RS Berkane being last season’s winners of the Caf Confederations cup.
Across the Maghreb in Tunis Mamelodi Sundowns Portuguese tactician coach Miguel Cardoso who previously coached the Tunisian side Esperance de Tunis seasons back, and masterminded their elimination last season with the Brazilians in the quarter finals was on another mission to inflict pain on his former team.
The most hostile ambience you can ever get on the continent in a football match is up north in the Maghreb, and Mamelodi Sundowns knew their work was cut out for them, not that it’s a new experience as they have been doing that religiously for many seasons. In front of a buoyant 60 thousand plus crowd Esperance were menacing the 1st 35 minutes of the game aged on by their fans hitting the frame of the woodwork in a one vee one situation between Ronwen Williams and Esperance striker forcing a save.
As the 2nd half began, Mamelodi Sundowns were like a house on fire, as across a low cross from Divine Lunga found a tightly marked Bryan Leon who with sheer heart and grit forced a low diving header that forced the ES Tunis goalie into a save. He would later put his effort into the back of the net with his head moments later after a sublime move that had 3 touches from Jayden Adams who lobbed the ball to Thaphelo Morena, who inturn delivered a volley cross, and in between 2 defenders rushing to clear the ball Leon from behind headed into the net, with the entire Sundowns bench erupting into jubilant celebration.
:Grant kekana was having a shift in heart of central defense with his ever green partner Cupido, making sure they protect Williams. Kekana made a well timed tackle in the box when a sublime through pass was made an on rushing Diarra who was one on one with Williams before Kekana came to the rescue. He would however be given his marching orders in 70th minute for a high foot challenge leaving the Brazilians with 10 men. A tactical change in the shape of the team with defense minded players stabilized the 1 man short situation as Sundowns held on for a 1nil victory. It was not without heightened moments though as when the home team they had equalized var ruled the goal invalid as they had been a foul in the build up with Williams elbowed by the ES tunis skipper.
