Pretoria – Mamelodi Sundowns delivered a commanding performance under the floodlights at Loftus Versfeld, crushing Stade Malien 3-0 in the first leg of their CAF Champions League quarter-final tie.
The Brazilians asserted dominance from the start in the night fixture on Friday, 13 March 2026, though some fans grumbled about the late kick-off disrupting travel and recovery for both sides.
The breakthrough came in the 34th minute when Khuliso Mudau slotted home a low finish after initial offside doubts—VAR stepped in to confirm the goal, sparking brief controversy among Malian supporters.
Brayan Leon doubled the lead in the 54th minute with a clinical strike, assisted by Nuno Santos.
The icing on the cake arrived in the 74th when Iqraam Rayners turned in another Santos cross; the linesman’s flag initially went up, but VAR reviewed and awarded the goal, highlighting technology’s pivotal role once more.
The emphatic 3-0 victory gives Sundowns a massive advantage heading into the return leg in Bamako.
With a three-goal cushion, they are firmly in pole position to advance to the semi-finals, boosting their quest for continental glory and underscoring their status as South Africa’s premier force in African football.
*Compiled with the assistance of AI tool Grok on X
