Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly played to a goalless draw in the first leg of their CAF Champions League semi-final on Saturday afternoon.
CAF Champions League
Result: Mamelodi Sundowns 0-0 Al Ahly
Date: 19 April 2025
Venue: Loftus Versfeld Stadium
Click through the gallery to see action from Sundowns's clash with Al ahly
Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso decided to drop defender Lucas Suarez after the loss to Kaizer Chiefs, while Tashreeq Matthews and Aubrey Modiba earned recalls to the Sundowns starting line-up.
Al Ahly were eager to end their poor record against Sundowns on South African soil, but it was the home side who enjoyed more of the possession in the final third while the Egyptians aimed to pounce on the break.
Miguel Cardoso's charges grew stronger as the first half went on, with talisman Lucas Costa Riberio seeing more of the ball in the opposition half but they were restricted to efforts from distance.
The visitors, meanwhile, barely offered anything going forward in the first half until first-half stoppage time as they nearly snatched the opening goal on the stroke of halftime when an un-marked Nejc Gradišar sent his header against the upright with Ronwen Williams well beaten.
The Egyptian giants came out with a bit more attacking intent in the second half and they were nearly rewarded just before the hour mark, but Taher Mohamed saw his header blocked by Grant Kekana in the six-yard area.
Cardoso responded with a double change soon after as Iqraam Rayners and Arthur Sales replaced Peter Shalulile and Matthews, who had been kept quiet by the Al Ahly defence.
With 20 minutes left on the clock, the Sundowns fans were sent in to a frenzy as club captain Themba Zwane made his return to action by replacing Jayden Adams for his first bit of competitive minutes since October last year.
Al Ahly had the ball in the back of the net a minute later through Gradisar's finish in the box, but the celebrations were cut short as Achraf Dari was deemed to have been offside in the build up.
Th offside flag came to Sundowns' rescue once again, this time in second-half stoppage time when substitute Achraf Bencharki raced clear and fired past Williams as the encounter ended all square in Pretoria.
The second leg will take place on Friday evening in Cairo.
Here's how they lined up:
Mamelodi Sundowns: Williams, Mudau, Kekana, Lebusa, Modiba, Mokoena, Allende, Adams, Matthews, Shalulile, Ribeiro
Subs: Onyango, Suarez, Mdunyelwa, Tiwani, Mkhulise, Aubaas, Sales, Zwane, Rayners
Al Ahly: El Shenawy, Rabia, Yasser, Dari, Hany, El Aash, Marawan, Ahmed Reda, Emam, Taher, Gradisar
