Mabululu fires Wiliete into Sundowns showdown in TotalEnergies CAF Champions League

Angola international Mabululu scored his third goal of the tie as Wiliete Sport Clube de Benguela completed a commanding 5-0 aggregate victory over Foresters FC to book a glamour TotalEnergies CAF Champions League Second Preliminary Round meeting with holders Mamelodi Sundowns.

The 33-year-old striker struck in the 51st minute as Wiliete won Thursday's return leg 1-0 at the Tundavala National Stadium in Lubango, adding to the two goals he scored in their emphatic 4-0 first-leg victory.

It completed a convincing passage into the next round for the Angolan side, who will now face reigning African champions Sundowns for a place in the group stage of the continent's premier club competition. 

The scale of the achievement is particularly striking given Wiliete's experience in the competition last season. They were eliminated 5-0 on aggregate by Tanzania's Young Africans, but have returned stronger and have now recorded the same aggregate scoreline against Foresters.

Their reward is an altogether tougher examination against Sundowns, with Wiliete expected to host the first leg in Angola next month.\

 

Mabululu makes immediate continental impact

At the heart of Wiliete's progress has been Mabululu, whose return to Angolan club football has given the Benguela side an experienced international striker capable of making the difference at continental level.

He scored twice in the opening leg, with Gibelé and César Cangué also on target in the 4-0 victory, before delivering again in the return fixture.

Three of Wiliete's five goals across the tie therefore came from the Angola international.

His presence is significant for a club seeking to establish itself among Africa's elite.

At a time when many established African internationals spend the peak and latter stages of their careers outside their domestic leagues, Wiliete have brought home a player with substantial experience elsewhere on the continent.

Mabululu's record explains why his signing was viewed as a major statement of ambition.

He previously starred for Al Ittihad Alexandria in Egypt, finishing as the Egyptian league's leading scorer with 16 goals in 2022/23. Across his earlier spell with the Alexandria club, he scored 41 times in 83 appearances.

He subsequently moved to Libya, where he registered 20 goals in 29 matches for Al Ahli Tripoli and helped the club win the league, cup and super cup before returning to Al Ittihad earlier in 2026. 

Now back playing domestic football in Angola, the forward has quickly demonstrated the value that an established international can bring to an ambitious local side.

 

Wiliete's rise gathers momentum

Mabululu's arrival is part of a broader project that has transformed Wiliete from challengers at home into a club increasingly determined to make its presence felt in African competition.

The Benguela side enjoyed a landmark 2025/26 season, finishing runners-up in the Girabola to secure a second successive Champions League qualification before winning the Taça de Angola for the first time in their history.

They defeated Kabuscorp 2-1 in the final to claim their maiden major national trophy. 

Rather than standing still after that breakthrough, Wiliete strengthened significantly for the new campaign.

Angola international winger Gibelé arrived from Petro de Luanda, while the club also recruited players including Mindinho, Nayan, Elber, Guilherme and Lucas as part of an attempt to build a squad capable of competing domestically and in Africa. 

Brazilian coach Beto Bianchi was also appointed with the stated objective of challenging for domestic honours and taking Wiliete into the Champions League group stage for the first time. 

The early evidence has been encouraging.

Wiliete started the new Girabola season strongly, winning their opening three matches to collect nine points and move to the top of the standings at the beginning of September. 

Their Champions League performances have added further momentum.

African champions now stand in their way

The step up in quality in the Second Preliminary Round will, however, be considerable.

Mamelodi Sundowns enter the competition at this stage after receiving a bye from the First Preliminary Round and will provide Wiliete with the biggest examination of their progress.

For the Angolan side, reaching the group stage would represent another important milestone in a rapid rise that has already delivered a first Taça de Angola, successive Champions League qualifications and an increasingly competitive squad.

Sundowns will start the tie with the pedigree of African champions, but Wiliete can approach the contest having won both legs against Foresters without conceding.

And with Mabululu scoring three times in his first Champions League tie of the season, Wiliete's decision to bring an established Angola international back into the domestic game is already paying dividends.

The challenge now is considerably greater: overcoming the champions of Africa and taking the next major step in Wiliete's emergence on the continental stage.