CAF: CLASH BETWEEN MAMELODI SUNDOWN AND STADE MALIEN HEATED UP

 

African club football is set for fireworks after the quarter-final and semi-final draws for the were conducted in Cairo on Tuesday.

Former champions were handed a tricky test against tournament surprise act , whose fairytale run has already stunned the continent.
Defending kings face Morocco’s in a fiery rematch of last season’s last-eight duel.

Meanwhile, giants lock horns once again with old rivals in a clash dripping with history and grudges.
Debutants will take on battle-hardened , who are appearing in Africa’s top club competition for a record 39th time.

The quarter-finals kick off in March, the semi-finals arrive in April, and a new champion will be crowned in May.

For Stade Malien, this campaign already feels like destiny. After 19 failed attempts to reach the group stage, they finally broke through — and then shocked everyone by topping a group that Esperance were widely tipped to dominate.
Sundowns, on the other hand, staggered through the group phase without a win in four matches before Colombian striker Brayan Leon saved them with a last-round brace against Mouloudia Alger.

Pyramids continue to look like the team to beat. Champions last season in just their second-ever appearance, they remain unbeaten this term with eight wins and two draws — even as last year’s top scorer Mahmoud Mayele endured a six-game goal drought in the group stage.

Al Ahly’s firepower is being led by former Aston Villa man Mahmoud “Trezeguet” Hassan, whose five goals have kept the Cairo giants unbeaten and hungry for yet another crown.

Esperance, however, have been rocked by instability. After winning only two of their six group matches, coach Maher Kanzari was shown the door, with Frenchman Patrice Beaumelle set to take charge.

Logistics will also play a role in this drama. Al Hilal will host their “home” second leg in Rwanda due to the ongoing civil war in Sudan.
And for Berkane, the leap to the Champions League has been brutal — they lost two group games and conceded 10 goals, the worst defensive record among the surviving teams.

With giants colliding, underdogs dreaming, and old rivalries reignited, the road to the final promises tension, drama, and unforgettable nights across Africa.