African teams continue to close the gap in the FIFA Club World Cup

09 December 2016 - 17:48 By Nick Said
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Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane.
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane.
Image: Antonio Muchave/Sowetan

Mamelodi Sundowns will be the first South African club to play in the FIFA Club World Cup when they take on local side Kashima Antlers in their quarterfinal in Osaka‚ Japan on Sunday.

But the African continent has been well-represented before‚ including two finalists in the prestigious showpiece competition‚ though Sundowns are seeking to be the first Confederation of African Football (CAF) club to lift the trophy.

The early years of African clubs competing saw them struggle to make an impact‚ but more lately they have found success‚ proving the gap is closing between top sides from the continent and the rest of the world.

Moroccan side Raja Casablanca were the first CAF representatives at the inaugural tournament that was played in Brazil in 2000.

That was staged in a round-robin format and the Moroccans lost all three games‚ including a seven-goal thriller to Al-Nassr from Saudi Arabia.

The tournament was not played again until 2005‚ and switched to the current knockout format‚ and this time it was Egyptian giants Al Ahly who carried Africa’s hopes.

They too came unstuck though‚ losing their opener 1-0 to Saudi club Al-Ittihad in Tokyo‚ and then finished last with a 2-1 defeat to Australian side Sydney FC.

But the Egyptians learnt from that experience and the following year picked up a bronze medal‚ defeating Mexican side America in the third-place playoff.

Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia also reached the semifinals in 2007 but ended fourth after losses to Argentine side Boca Juniors and Japanese outfit Urawa Red Diamonds in the bronze-medal play-off.

Ahly returned in 2008 but finished sixth after defeats to Mexicans Pachuca (2-4) and Australians Adelaide United (0-1).

That was matched by DR Congo club TP Mazembe in 2009 as they lost to South Koreans Pohang Steelers 2-1 in the quarterfinals and were then defeated 3-2 by Auckland City.

But Mazembe then embarked on a thrilling run to the final in 2010 where they would ultimately lose to 3-0 Rafael Benítez’s Inter Milan in Abu Dhabi.

But before that they ousted Pachuca and top Brazilian side Internacional.

Esperance could not get past the quarterfinals in 2011‚ while Ahly ended fourth the following year.

Africa were allowed to enter two teams in 2013 as the competition was hosted in Morocco.

Ahly were there as Champions League holders and Raja Casablanca qualified as Moroccan league winners‚ the same entrance gained by Kashima Antlers of Japan in 2016.

Ironically‚ continental champions Ahly finished sixth‚ but Raja went all the way to the final on home soil before losing 2-0 to German giants Bayern Munich.

There were two CAF entrants again in 2014 but Algeria’s ES Setif finished fifth and local Moroccan side Moghreb Tétouan were ousted in the preliminaries.

With the return of the competition to Japan‚ it was back to a single CAF representative and Champions League holders TP Mazembe returned‚ but were thumped 3-0 by local side Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the quarterfinals. - TMG Digital

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