PIRATES,SUNDOWNS & STELLIES ADVANCE TO CAF SEMI FINALS

 Shift in football power in CAF competitions from North to South

As was the case last week, a scuffle broke out at a football match, (On Tuesday last week there was spectator violence at Loftus Versfeld when Sundowns took on Esperance), this time it was also during the Caf Champions League second

leg quarter-final tie, between Orlando Pirates and MC Alger.

The Buccaneers and the Algerian champions played to a goalless draw, with the home side advancing 1-0 on aggregate.

Mamelodi Sundowns booked the semifinal spot in the CAF Champions League following the 0-0 (1-0 on aggregate) against Esperance Sportive de Tunis on Tuesday night at Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi.

The match promised to be an exciting one and it delivered. From the moment the kick-off whistle was blown, both sides showed a sense of urgency, looking to open the floodgates very early in the game. A big chance inside two minutes came from the home side but luckily, captain Ronwen Williams managed to smack the dangerous ball away.

End-to-end football was being played but eventually, Downs snatched possession and played the game at their own tempo but were just struggling to get it right in front of goals.

While on the other end of the half, Divine Lunga stood his ground and was denying the Esperance attacking squad to even sniff the danger area.

Another big opportunity in front of the goal threatened the Downs’s defense but luckily, after a cross made by Esperance, Khuliso Mudau came to the rescue and made an excellent touch to clear the ball away.

In the last few minutes of the opening half, the visitors threatened the Esperance defense. Lucas Ribeiro’s counterattack efforts saw him winning the ball but his shot went slightly wide.

Marcelo Allende from range also looked to be the one to break the deadlock but his effort rattled the crossbar.

The two sides went to the break goalless. The hosts kicked off the second stanza with real intent as they created a big scoring opportunity but Williams read the danger on time and swept the ball away.

 Masandawana were quick with the retaliation through Ribeiro’s quick feet that went past the Esperance rearguard. He fired a shot but was cushioned by the goalkeeper.

In the final stages of regulation time in the second half, Shalulile came close to opening the floodgates with a beautiful pass from Iqraam Rayners but the shot fired was smacked away by the goalkeeper.

Nine minutes was added to play and Bafana Ba Style held on to the 1-0 aggregate in what was a physically demanding encounter.

They will now shift their focus back to the Nedbank Cup for the semifinal which is to take place on Sunday night against Kaizer Chiefs.

Stellenbosch FC have etched their name into the record books after the Western Cape side booked their place in a first-ever CAF Confederation Cup semi-final with a historic 1-0 victory over Egyptian giants Zamalek on an intoxicating Wednesday evening at the Cairo International Stadium.

Steve Barker’s team dumped the defending champions out on their home turf, courtesy of a finely taken goal from Sihle Nduli, who crashed home Lesiba Nku’s pass high into the Zamalek net to send the entire Stellies team streaming

towards the corner flag in celebration of the club’s most famous goal.

Stellenbosch will now face Tanzanian side Simba FC, who is coached by South African Fadlu Davids, in the semi-finals.

It seems absurd to think now that South African clubs were once deeply reluctant participants in the African club competitions.

Orlando Pirates were the sole pioneers, having won the CAF Champions League way back in 1995, before Mamelodi Sundowns added their continental star in 2016. 

Since then, teams from the southern-most tip of the continent have regularly advanced to the business end of both the Champions League and Confederation Cup, with Sundowns and Pirates again advancing to the Champions League

semi-finals this year. 

Barker’s continental rookies can now also sit at that elite dining table after booking their CAF Confederation Cup semi-final place. 

The match was always going to be an extraordinary occasion for Stellenbosch FC, and the marauders in maroon fittingly raised their game.

Even though the Cairo Stadium was not brimming to capacity due to restrictions placed on their hosts because of previous unruly fan behaviour, there was enough fanatical support for the White Knights behind Sage Stephens’ goal in

the second half to have Stellies know they were very far from home.

Stellenbosch began the game with fervour, armed with the knowledge that a solitary away goal would require Zamalek to score twice as many. 

The visitors nearly caught their more fancied opponents on the back foot when they managed to create an early opportunity after a tireless Ashley Cupido, who led the Stellies line gallantly on his own for more than an hour, went on a lung-busting run down the right touchline. 

Cupido cut the ball back inside to find Devon Titus, who passed it on to an unmarked Andre de Jong on the edge of the Zamalek penalty area.

Unfortunately for Stellies, their leading scorer in the competition was leaning back too far upon impact, and the ball sailed comfortably over Mohamed Moussa’s crossbar. 

From thereon, the Egyptians took control of the ball and dominated possession as the first half went on.

However, without their inspirational midfielder Zizo, who had sensationally been left out of the match-day squad pending suspicion that the Egyptian international has signed a pre-contract with arch-rivals Al Ahly, they were unable to deliver

that incisive pass to carve open a well-marshalled Stellies defence.

At that point, Stellies were content to absorb the pressure, but would have been relieved when the halftime whistle was blown to re-evaluate their tactics.

Barker had shown in the first leg in Cape Town last week that he need not stand back to his more illustrious counterpart Jose Peseiro as the Stellies tactician rang the changes at the interval by hauling off Titus and Genino Palace for Chumani Butsaka and Nku.

The duo’s introduction injected space down the right flank for Stellies, which created extra space for the visitors to string some passes together. 

It proved to be a masterstroke from Barker as the Stellies goal was orchestrated in this fashion, with Nku’s pass finding the unmarked Nduli in the Zamalek area.

The goal doused any fire Zamalek may still have in their bellies as Stellies went on to celebrate a famous night in the land of pyramids and pharaohs.

Additional Info By : Sundownsfc.co.za , iol.co.za and enca.com