History was on the line as the Caf champions league 2nd leg final encounter arrived in Rabat on Sunday evening the 24th of May, 2026, just a day before the entire continent celebrates the most special day on the continent’s calendar that is “Africa Day”, a day set to celebrate the efforts of the motherland to trailblaze and bring about integration.
And what better way to bring about that through the most loved sport on the continent that is football, Mamelodi Sundowns in their 2nd final in consecutive seasons were looking for continental redemption having lost last season’s final to Pyramids FC in Cairo.
With Portuguese mentor Miguel Cardoso in his 3rd consecutive final, it was a case of writing the wrongs of last season’s loss as well as the one prior when he was at the dugout for Tunis giants Esperance.
The Brazilians carrying a 1 goal advantage from the 1st leg encounter in Pretoria a week prior courtesy of an Aubrey Modiba set piece effort knew what hostile reception would await them in Rabat at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
And packed almost to the bream the beautiful stadium facility was, as the home crowd was in buoyant mood as they looked to push their team over the liner and overturn the 1st leg deficit, and from the 1st whistle AS FAR were looking to press and force the Tshwane giants into mistakes early on.
In that moment the Brazilians had attempts at goal from Letlaku whose effort in the 24th minute from a Brayan Leon pass didn’t do much to trouble the goalie,Tashreeq Mathews in a space of seconds made another attempt but it went agonizingly wide.
Suddenly it was in those moments that showed Mamelodi Sundowns were beginning now to come out of their cocoon, find their mojo and play without any nerves.
As the home side kept pushing forward the defense line of Sundowns was solid except for the left side where Divine Lunga in for injured Aubrey Modiba looked shaky, and each time the Moroccan side pushed forward you could see they are pushing forward in order to get fouls and set piece opportunities.
It is Mamelodi Sundowns’ DNA to play from the back but in a match of such consequence the DNA sometimes has to go through the window considering the adversary being faced whom you know will employ every unorthodox tactic to get at you especially considering you hold the advantage.
True to those unorthodox tactics in the 34th minute a cross from the left flank of AS FAR found Lunga racing into the box to clear the ball with an opponent player him, instead of going for safety, took time to clear his lines with the AS FAR player going straight into his way with Lunga hitting the man not the ball and VAR had to intervene with referee pointing to the spot with the entire stadium erupting into jubilation at the decision.
The skipper stepped up and sent Ronwen Williams the wrong way with his low effort going into Williams’ left side of goal, and the match was in the balance in the 40th minute. The Brazilians showed mental strength as in the 2nd minute of added time in the 1st half Lunga made a sweet cross finding Brayan Leon who could not connect perfectly with his effort but almost had the keeper beaten.
There weren’t surely not going to fight back, and fighting they were as in the 7th minute of added time the Colombian managed to turn and cross in the box with Mathews an important flick that put the ball in Tebogo Mokoena’s perfectly with the midfield maestro hitting it exquisitely the 1st time with the inside of his right foot, with the effort hitting the upright post before hitting the net, silencing the boisterous crowd.
The Sundowns bench erupted joining in the celebrations and the match would go to the interval tied 1all with Sundowns in control of the tie leading 2-1 on aggregate.
The 2nd half began with Mamelodi Sundowns playing their natural game, but that said it was still nervy considering the not so sportsman like tactics AS FAR were employing, diving whenever it was convenient and trying to manipulate the match official.
In the 71st minute the home team had a VAR decision in their favor after Ronwen Williams failed to deal with an attempt at goal 1st spilling into the path of an AS FAR player who had his back against him.
As Williams tried to rescue the situation he put his weight on the AS FAR player who fell,and another penalty was given.
It was now a case of fate,destiny on the line and as the home captain stepped up from six yards,the memories of his heroics in the Africa Cup of Nations last 16 penalty shootout against Cape Verde flooded back,as Williams made a stunning save with a strong hand with the ball going out of play.
As the match got to the 80th minute it was now a case of managing the game with on point substitutions with Arthur Sales, Marcelo Allende coming in for Nuno Santos, BryanLeon.
In the 83rd minute coach Cardoso lashed out at his players from the touchline,as they seemed to slow down when a counter offensive would have materialized in a goal,and rightly so as Arthur Sales who had the ball with him that moment exquisitely left his marker for dead passing the ball into path of Jayden Adams who should have done better and scored.
It was now a case of waiting for the final whistle and as injury time lapsed the referee blew the whistle, with ecstatic jubilations from the Mamelodi Sundowns camp as they ran onto the field,finally they had arrived and got the most prestigious club football accolade on the continent.
It was exhilaration but exhaustion as the team from Pretoria had finally handed their most sought African football 2nd star,and for Coach Miguel Cardoso it was 3rd time charm as he finally won the trophy that eluded him twice 1st with Esperance then Mamelodi Sundowns and finally with Sundowns at the 3rd time.
It’s Kabo yellow Masandawana as they are this season’s African football Kings.
