Mamelodi Sundowns will face FAR Rabat in the CAF Champions League final after both sides came through contrasting semi-final ties.
Colombian-born striker Brayan León proved decisive as Sundowns secured a 1-0 win over Esperance at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, sealing a 2-0 aggregate triumph.
León saw his 35th-minute penalty saved by Bechir Ben Said, but reacted quickest to convert the rebound a goal that ultimately decided the tie.
Having also scored the only goal in the first leg in Tunis, León’s contributions ensured Sundowns progressed to the final for the second consecutive season.
This will be Sundowns’ fourth CAF Champions League final, as they chase a second title to add to their 2016 triumph. They were runners-up in 2001 and again last season, when they fell short against Pyramids.
Head coach Miguel Cardoso is now heading to his third successive final in the competition and his second with Sundowns.
Sundowns dominated much of the semi-final second leg, registering five shots on target compared to Esperance’s two and enjoying 58% possession. The visitors came closest to scoring when Florin Danho struck the crossbar just before half-time.
Their opponents in the final, FAR Rabat, progressed despite a 1-0 second-leg defeat to RS Berkane, advancing 2-1 on aggregate.
The Moroccan military side had built a two-goal advantage in the first leg in Rabat, which proved enough to see them through after a tense return fixture.
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FAR Rabat, winners of the African Champions Cup in 1985, are aiming to return to continental glory, while Berkane competing in the Champions League for the first time fell just short despite their recent pedigree in theo Confederation Cup.
The winner of the final will not only lift Africa’s premier club trophy but also secure qualification for the expanded FIFA Club World Cup in 2029.
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With Pyramids already qualified as a previous winner, the next three Champions League winners will complete Africa’s quartet for the global tournament.
