Epic Clash In Cairo: Al Ahly Hosts Mamelodi Sundowns In Caf Champions League Semi-finals

A SECOND LEG, CAF Champions League semifinal clash of epic proportions is in the offing when Al AHly host Mamelodi Sundowns in Cairo on Friday.

After playing to a goalless stalemate in a chess-like encounter at Loftus Versfeld at the weekend, the two teams will have to open up in the cauldron of the Cairo Stadium in a quest for a place in the final. Such is the mutual respect between the two teams that no one was willing to take unnecessary risks in the opening leg, the Red Devils incredibly playing with five defenders while Sundowns struggled to play with their normal passing rhythm.

It was to be expected though given how the 2016 champions had previously hit the Egyptians for a five not once but twice in Pretoria and Ahly never having won on South African soil. Sundowns knew only too well not to go gung-ho against the record champions who are chasing a hat-trick of successes.

There has to be a winner on Friday though and that should make for a much more open match, Ahly sure to be egged on by their partisan crowd while Sundowns will be inspired by the desire to upset their hosts. And the coaches of both sides are confident it will be them marching on to the ultimate stage of the continents premier club knockout competition.

I have a strong belief that we can do it in Cairo when we go for the second match, Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso told the media in the post-match conference It was not the best match, a typical semifinal in which two teams try to explore while protecting their goal.