Sundowns aim for second African crown in Cairo showdown

Mamelodi Sundowns are just one game away from reclaiming African club football’s biggest prize, as they are in Cairo to face Egypt’s Pyramids FC in Sunday’s decisive second leg of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League final.

The first leg ended 1-1 at a packed Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, with Lucas Ribeiro giving the South Africans the lead before Walid El Karti struck late to earn Pyramids a vital away goal.

It means Sundowns must now either win or secure a scoring draw of 2-2 or more to lift their second Champions League title, after their historic triumph in 2016.

Led by charismatic head coach Miguel Cardosso, the Brazilians are desperate to end a nearly decade-long wait for continental silverware.

Cardosso, who took full charge of the team to revive its fortunes, has repeatedly stated his ambition to restore Sundowns to the summit of African football.

Sundowns have been one of the most dominant sides in African football over the past decade, consistently reaching the knockout stages and winning the CAF Super Cup in 2017.

But recent years have seen them fall short at crucial stages, something Cardosso’s men are determined to correct.

Midfielder Tebogo Mokoena and defender Malibongwe Khoza have both expressed belief in the squad’s ability to overcome the Cairo challenge, with Khoza declaring: “We know what we will do to win, we know how they [Pyramids] will play, and we know how we will exploit the spaces.”

If Sundowns succeed, they will become just the fourth team in the Champions League era to win the title more than once, joining the likes of Al Ahly, TP Mazembe, and ES Tunis.

Sunday’s clash at the Air Defense Stadium is not just a battle for a trophy — it is a showdown between two clubs representing ambition, identity, and a hunger to write a new chapter in African football history.