Sundowns stun mighty Ahly with five-goal triumph
Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa stunned record eight-time trophy holders Al Ahly of Egypt 5-0 Saturday in the first leg of a CAF Champions League quarter-final.
It was the heaviest defeat suffered by the Cairo Red Devils in a CAF match and leaves them with virtually no chance in the second leg next weekend.
Themba Zwane and Wayne Arendse scored to give the hosts a 2-0 half-time advantage at a packed 25,000-seat Lucas 'Masterpieces' Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville near Pretoria.
Brazilian Ricardo Nascimento converted a penalty two minutes into the second half and goals from Uruguayan Gaston Sirino and Ahly reject Phakamani Mahlambi completed the rout.
Beating Ahly, who have also won a record 19 CAF titles, by such a wide margin was beyond the wildest dreams of even the most optimistic Sundowns supporter.
Most believed a two-goal advantage and not conceding at home was the best the shock 2016 Champions League winners could hope for against such vaunted opponents.
Ahly have suffered several three-goal defeats since making their debut in the competition 43 years ago, but this humiliation puts the future of Uruguayan coach Martin Lasarte in doubt.
He took over this year from Frenchman Patrice Carteron, who was sacked after Ahly surrendered a 3-1 first-leg lead to lose the 2018 final against Esperance of Tunisia.
"We had a very bad match today, and we need to work hard in the coming period to fix many things," Lasarte told the Ahly website after the debacle.
- 'I apologise' -
"I apologise to Ahly fans, both those who were at the stadium or following via television.
"There is no time to talk about anything now, and we only have to work and focus on what is ahead."
BeIN Sport pundit and former star Ahly centre-back Wael Gomaa called the five-goal thrashing in South Africa a "disgrace".
Gomaa was part of the star-studded Ahly side that reached four consecutive Champions League finals from 2005, winning three.
Like Sundowns, defending champions Esperance are well placed to reach the semi-finals after a 3-2 away victory over CS Constantine of Algeria.
A see-saw thriller saw the Tunisians lead by two goals and Constantine draw level before defender Mohamed Ali Yacoubi netted the match-winner 16 minutes from time.
In Dar es Salaam, Simba SC of Tanzania missed a penalty when held 0-0 by five-time champions TP Mazembe from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
John Bocco was the culprit, blazing a 59th-minute spot-kick high and wide after a bicycle kick from team-mate Meddie Kagere had rebounded off the woodwork during the first half.
While the result confirms Mazembe as favourites to win the tie, they will tread warily after what occurred at the same stage last season.
Having drawn 0-0 at Primeiro Agosto of Angola, the Congolese side missed two penalties and had two goals disallowed in a second leg that ended 1-1 and they were eliminated on away goals.
Twice champions Wydad Casablanca of Morocco are in a similar position to Mazembe after leaving Guinea level with Horoya AC on aggregate after a 0-0 draw in Conakry.