Sundowns' horror record at Al Ahly - game-by-game
Mamelodi Sundowns head into the lion’s den on Saturday when they play away against Pitso Mosimane’s Al Ahly in their CAF Champions League Group A clash in Cairo.
Sundowns’ record away at the Red Devils makes for horror reading – played five, lost five and not a single goal scored.
But that does not tell the full tale of the contests and in truth Sundowns might have easily come away with at least a couple of wins down the years. TimesLIVE looks back at their five previous away clashes against Ahly as The Brazilians attempt to break their duck this weekend.
2001 – CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL
Al Ahly 3 Mamelodi Sundowns 0
The first leg ended 1-1 in South Africa before Ahly returned home to finish the job. Khaled Bebo scored a hat-trick in Cairo, but never has a 3-0 home win been so unreflective of how the game was played and flattering for the hosts. Sundowns outduelled the Cairo giants for most of the game but, unlike the home side, they could not finish their chances and paid the price. The scoreline may look emphatic, but the flow of the contest saw coach Ted Dumitru’s Sundowns the better side on the day.
2007 – CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE THIRD ROUND
Al Ahly 2 Mamelodi Sundowns 0
This one was a more deserving victory for Ahly after the teams again locked horns in Cairo following a draw in South Africa, where the first leg finished 2-2. Sundowns had bravely fought back from 2-0 down in that game. The first half in Egypt finished goalless, but as Sundowns pushed forward in search of the opener they needed to avoid a loss on away goals, they left themselves exposed at the back.
The home side were awarded a penalty with 20 minutes to go and Shady Mohamed converted. With Sundowns now desperate and leaving gaps at the back, the mercurial Mohamed Aboutreika added a second to kill off the tie.
2018/19 – CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTERFINALS
Al Ahly 1 Mamelodi Sundowns 0
Sundowns had crushed Ahly 5-0 in the first leg in Tshwane, a result that sent shock waves through the Egyptian club and had major repercussions as their heaviest ever loss on the continent. It was perhaps also the first moment when Pitso Mosimane’s name came under consideration for the coaching job at Ahly, though it would be another 18 months before he was appointed to the role. It was a dead rubber in the second leg, such was the advantage that The Brazilians held and they slipped to a 1-0 loss in Cairo that at least restored some pride for the home side. Moroccan Walid Azarou scored the only goal on 68 minutes.
2019/20 – CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTERFINALS
Al Ahly 2 Mamelodi Sundowns 0
The teams clashed in the quarterfinals for the second year running and this time the first leg was in Cairo, where Sundowns went in with much expectation.
They had arguably the better of the first half and might have been 2-0 up with some more composed finishing, but as the game wore on, Ahly grew into the contest. They took the lead on 56 minutes when a brilliant piece of interplay saw Tunisian left-back Ali Maâloul score, before he added a second from the penalty-spot after Hlompho Kekana was adjudged to have committed a foul. Ahly finished the game stronger, but had Sundowns taken their chances early on it might have been a different story. The second leg ended 1-1 in Tshwane.
2020/21 – CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTERFINALS
Al Ahly 2 Mamelodi Sundowns 0
There was a sense of déjà vu about this one, though by this time Mosimane had switched allegiances and was now wearing the colours of Ahly. It was the same stage of the competition and once again the first leg was in Cairo, as the match finished with the same result. But this time Sundowns definitely deserved more and had Gift Motupa’s header from a free-kick gone in, might have got it. As it was, it hit the inside of the post and rolled along the goalline before being cleared.
Sundowns goalkeeper Denis Onyango will be disappointed he did not keep out the strike from Taher Mohamed that gave the home side the lead three minutes later. The visitors dominated the play after that but came up against the brilliant Mohamed El Shenawy in the home goal, while at the other end there was a howler to seal their fate.
Onyango completely misjudged a hopeful punt forward and in the end left the ball for Salah Mohsen to score a second one minute from time. The second leg in South Africa again finished 1-1.
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