Iqela lebhola ekhatywayo lasePitoli, iMamelodi Sundowns, livale imidlalo kaGroup A lihleli phezulu emva kokuba lingcwabe iAl Merrikh namhlanje emalanga eGoli. Amasandawana ayivuthulule ngamagowuli amathathu eqandeni (3-0) emdlalweni weCAF Champions League obumhle eFNB Stadium. Nangona iSundowns iye emdlalweni sele inayo indawo yayo kumjikelo olandelayo – kodwa iqale umdlalo ngokukhulu ukuzimisela. Abaqeqeshi bayo baqale umdlalo ngabadlali abafana noGeorge Maluleka noMosa Lebusa abanethuba elide bengasadlali ngenxa yezizathu ezahlukeneyo. Bekunyanzelekile iAl Merrikh ilwele ukufumana igowuli kuqala emdlalweni ukuze yandise amathuba wayo okuphumelela nokuya kwisigaba esilandelayo seCAF Champions League.
Endaweni yoko, iSundowns ibhakuzelise umnatha kwangoko emdlalweni ngentloko kaMaluleka ofumene ibhola ebikhatywe ngobuchule nguAubrey Modiba ekoneni. Kuyiwe kwixesha lokuphumla iSundowns ihamba phambili ngegowuli elinye eqandeni. Bebezama ukudlala abadlali beMerrikh – kodwa bonganyelwe zizitshovutshovu zasePitoli ezincwase ukuphumelela indebe yeChampions League okwesibini. Emva kweshumi elinesihlanu yemizuzu kwisigaba sesibini, uSurprise Ralani uphume phakathi kwamadoda wafaka igowuli lesibini leSundowns.
Emva kwemizamo yeendwendwe yokufumana igowuli lokubika ekhaya, uKermit Erasmus, ongene kwisigaba sesibini, ufake igowuli elihle lesithathu emdlalweni. Ukubethwa kweMerrikh namhlanje kucuthe amathuba wayo okufumana iAl Ahly ekwindawo yesibini emva kweSundowns kuGroup A. Ukuqhuba kakuhle kwayo iSundowns emidlalweni yeChampions League kwandisa amathuba wayo okubuyisela ubunganga bayo ebholeni yezwekazi le-Afrika. Kanti nalapha eMzantsi Afrika, inamathuba amahle kakhulu okuphumelela iNedbank Cup nendebe yeDStv Premiership. Nangona kunjalo, kusafuneka yenze umsebenzi ebaleni.
iSundowns ingombe iSibanye emdlalweni obutaka iintlantsi eLoftus Stadium!