Mamelodi Sundowns could not retain their CAF Women's Champions League title after a 4-0 loss to hosts ASFAR in the final on Sunday night.
CAF Women's Champions League Final
Result: ASFAR 4-0 Mamelodi Sundowns
Date: 13 November 2022
Venue: Stade Moulay Abdellah
The Moroccan side sent numbers forward and were awarded a penalty on 12 minutes after Zanele Nhlapho caught the leg of Zineb Redouani trying to clear a bouncing ball in the box.
Fatima Tagnaout gave FAR the lead with an expertly dispatched low left-footed spot-kick that goalkeeper Andile Dlamini saw all the way but could not keep out at the bottom corner.
Jerry Tshabalala's charges looked to fight their way back into the game as they pushed high up the field, however, they were reduced to ten players just after the half-hour mark after Mulaudzi's yellow card was upgraded to red following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review for a lunging tackle.
Banyana Ba Style had a chance to regroup only a goal down at halftime but the hosts started the second stanza strongly, as Dlamini had to tip a goal-bound header by Aziza Rabbah over the crossbar to keep their hopes alive.
However, things went from bad to worse for Sundowns Ladies early in the second stanza as they were reduced to nine players after captain Nhlapho got a second yellow card of the encounter.
FAR capitalised, as they doubled their lead moments later after Ibtissam Jraidi fired home a cracking strike over Dlamini in the box from a set-piece routine.
The South African side still had a fight in them as Melinda Kgadiete had a chance on 65 minutes after receiving a cut-back at the near post but her close-range shot was smothered by goalkeeper Khadija ER-Rmichi.
Banyana Ba Style had the attacking momentum despite their numerical disadvantage and Tshabalala had a last throw of a dice in the closing stages with a triple change as Andisiwe Mgcoyi, Salome Kekana and Nonhanhla Mthandi entered the fray.
However, as Sundowns Ladies pushed their short numbers going forward, they were caught on a counter-attack in the dying minutes as Jraidi went clear on goal and completed her brace with a side-footed finish.
Sundowns began to drop their heads as Jraidi rounded off the scoring for the hosts and completed her hat-trick with close-range shot to seal the club's maiden Women's Champions League title.
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