Sundowns Edge AS FAR in CAF Final First Leg as VAR Blackout Plunges Referee Ndala into the Pressure Cooker

Mamelodi Sundowns took a slender but crucial advantage in the first leg of the CAF Champions League final, defeating Morocco’s AS FAR 1-0 at a packed Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Sunday.

While Aubrey Modiba’s first-half strike separated the two African giants on the scoreboard, part of the headline belonged to a bizarre second-half VAR breakdown that pushed controversial Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala into yet another officiating storm.

Modiba breaks the deadlock

The match began with palpable tension, as both sides looked to establish dominance without overcommitting. AS FAR showcased the defensive rigidity that brought them to the final, comfortably absorbing early pressure from the South African champions. The Moroccan side even threatened to break the deadlock themselves in the 22nd minute, when veteran defender Younes Abdelhamid agonizingly headed just wide from a set-piece.

However, Sundowns’ persistence paid off in the 37th minute. Capitalizing on a well-worked set-piece of their own, Aubrey Modiba found space in the box and fired  past the AS FAR goalkeeper. Loftus Versfeld erupted, and Sundowns carried their 1-0 lead into the halftime interval.

Second-Half Drama: VAR Goes off

The tactical battle on the pitch was completely overshadowed at the start of the second half by technical chaos off it. A total malfunction of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system forced a prolonged delay of over 15 minutes before the second half could even kick off.

For referee Jean-Jacques Ndala, the timing of the technology failure could not have been worse. Ndala entered the match under an immense cloud of scrutiny. Both Mamelodi Sundowns and AS FAR had lodged formal complaints to CAF regarding his appointment, pointing directly to his handling of the highly controversial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, which ended in chaos and is currently under dispute at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

With tensions already simmering due to his reputation, Ndala found himself exposed without a safety net when the match finally resumed completely without video assistance.

Ndala had to manage an increasingly physical final with zero technological backup, knowing that any single error would amplify the pre-match skepticism surrounding his refereeing crew.

Every tackle, offside call, and penalty-box appeal from both the Sundowns and AS FAR players was met with immense pressure from the dugouts. Ndala and his linesmen had to rely purely on old-school officiating under a pressure cooker of noise at Loftus Versfeld.

Fortunately for the officiating crew, the VAR system was finally restored in the 67th minute, allowing the match to finish under normal conditions without any explosive, tie-defining controversy.

All to Play for in Rabat

Following the restoration of VAR, AS FAR pushed aggressively for a vital away goal. Coach Alexandre Santos urged his side forward, but the Moroccan outfit lacked the final touch in the attacking third. Sundowns remained dangerous on the counter-attack but were ultimately content to manage their narrow lead.

The 1-0 victory gives Mamelodi Sundowns the upper hand, but the tie remains on a knife-edge. The decisive second leg will take place at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on Sunday, May 24, where AS FAR will look to overturn the deficit in front of a roaring home crowd to claim Africa’s ultimate club prize.