Sundowns Escape AS FAR Scare to Secure Second CAF Champions League Title
Mamelodi Sundowns are champions of Africa once again after battling to a 1-1 draw against AS FAR in Rabat this Sunday night to seal the 2025/26 CAF Champions League title 2-1 on aggregate.
Holding a slender 1-0 first-leg advantage from Pretoria, Miguel Cardoso’s side were forced to dig deep in a tense second-leg showdown at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, overcoming defensive errors and enormous pressure from the hosts to secure their second CAF Champions League crown, adding to the title won in 2016.
The match burst into life in the opening half when Sundowns defender Divine Lunga brought down AS FAR forward Youssef El Fahli inside the area after a mistimed challenge. Referee Omar Abdulkadir, after a VAR call, pointed to the spot, and AS FAR captain Mohamed Rabie Hrimat calmly converted the resulting penalty in the 35th minute to hand FAR the lead on the night and level the tie on aggregate.
However, Sundowns hit back on the stroke of halftime. In the 45th minute, Tashreeq Matthews deflected Brayan León’s cross into the path of Teboho Mokoena, who sent a superb first-time strike in off the crossbar to make it 1-1 on the night and put the South African side ahead on aggregate.
The second half brought even greater drama. Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams clattered into the back foot of Youssef El Fahli inside the penalty area after mistiming his challenge, gifting the hosts a second penalty and a golden opportunity to move ahead in the tie. But Williams responded in heroic fashion.
The Bafana Bafana captain redeemed himself by diving low on his left to deny Mohamed Rabie Hrimat from the spot, producing what proved to be one of the defining moments of the final. That save shifted momentum back in Sundowns’ favour to see out the aggregate victory and end a 10-year wait for continental glory.
After the heartbreak of 2025 where they lost against Pyramids (3-2) on aggregate, the Brazilians came back to claim the coveted silverware. They have 15 PSL trophies (the most by any club in South Africa), but it was this trophy they wanted.
