Mamelodi Sundowns have one foot in the semifinals of the CAF Champions League after thrashing Egyptian giants Al Ahly 5-0 in their quarterfinal first-leg match at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday.
The Egyptians are tough to beat at home in Cairo but have been left with a mountain to climb when the teams meet in the return leg next Saturday.
It took Sundowns just 14 minutes to unlock the Al Ahly defence, with fullback Tebogo Langerman set free on the left flank. He picked out midfielder Themba Zwane to open the scoring.
The hosts doubled the lead 10 minutes later when central defender Wayne Arendse side-footed the ball home from a set piece taken by midfielder Gaston Sirino.
Two minutes after the break, Lebogang Maboe was fouled in the visitors’ penalty area.
GOING NOWHERE: Marwan. Photo: Backpagepix.
Sundowns central defender Ricardo Nascimento slotted home from the penalty spot.
In the 61st minute, Al Ahly’s nightmare got worse when an on-target shot from Maboe fell to Langerman, who unselfishly played the ball to Sirino to add the fourth goal of the game.
With eight minutes remaining, Sundowns scored their fifth goal with second-half substitute Phakamani Mahlambi, netting against his former club.
Thapelo Morena was instrumental in the build-up on the counterattack, before sending a pass across the box for Mahlambi to latch on to and slot home well wide of Al Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy.