Al Ahly, Sundowns brace for Cairo showdown with final spot on the line
Published:
Al Ahly and Mamelodi Sundowns are set for a blockbuster clash on Friday night at Cairo International Stadium as they battle for a place in the final of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
With the first leg in Pretoria ending goalless, everything is still to play for in this highly anticipated second-leg encounter.
Despite Al Ahly’s rich history and dominance in African club football, it is Sundowns who have held the upper hand in recent meetings.
The South African giants are unbeaten in their last eight matches against the Cairo club, scoring 11 goals and conceding just five in that run.
Al Ahly have not defeated Sundowns since May 2021 and will be looking to overturn that trend on home soil.
The hosts have been rock solid at the back in this season’s Champions League, keeping three consecutive clean sheets.
Their defensive resilience will be key once again, especially against a Sundowns side that has failed to score in its last 216 minutes of continental action.
Peter Shalulile, with three goals to his name in the tournament, remains the Brazilians' biggest threat up front.
Midfielder Emam Ashour has been pivotal to Al Ahly’s campaign, scoring five times — joint-highest in the competition — and will be expected to spark the attack once more.
Home advantage could prove crucial for the Egyptians.
They are unbeaten in their last six home games across all competitions and boast three wins from four home matches in this CAF Champions League campaign.
Sundowns, meanwhile, have struggled on the road, managing just one win in four away matches this season.
With a place in the final at stake, both sides will be pushing to make their mark in what promises to be a high-stakes, high-intensity clash under the Cairo lights.
