AS FAR vs. Mamelodi Sundowns: Masandawa 90 Minutes Away From CAF Champions League Glory

by Devesh Jaganath

image AS FAR vs. Mamelodi Sundowns: Masandawa 90 Minutes Away From CAF Champions League Glory
African football takes centre stage on Sunday as Mamelodi Sundowns face AS FAR in the CAF Champions League final, with continental glory on the line. Masandawa are a goal up heading to Rabat and 90 minutes away from ending their decade-long wait for another African crown.
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Sundowns To Face Hostile Atmosphere In Rabat

The Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium will be packed to the rafters on Sunday afternoon when AS FAR lock horns with Mamelodi Sundowns in the second and decisive leg of the 2025-26 CAF Champions League final. 

Masandawana head into the second leg with a 1-0 lead after making the most of their home advantage last weekend,  which confirmed our CAF Champions League predictions. However, the tie is far from over, and the South African side will know that they are set to face a hostile environment in Rabat this week. 

While the match was underway at Loftus Versfeld last weekend, travelling AS FAR supporters clashed with Downs fans and law enforcement in attendance, and one image from the incident showed a travelling supporter spraying a security guard with pepper spray. 

Tensions between the teams elevated further during the week when Sundowns were unable to fly to Morocco on Tuesday as planned due to an issue with their clearance to land in Rabat. This sparked speculation that Moroccan authorities had purposely delayed issuing clearance to hinder Miguel Cardoso’s team’s preparations. 

Downs eventually departed for Morocco in midweek and had their first training session on Thursday. Given the off-field incident in the first leg and the unsavoury scenes during the 2025 AFCON between Morocco and Senegal, the Brazilians will know that an unwelcoming environment awaits them this weekend. 

Nevertheless, Cardoso and co will need to block out the noise and hostility and focus on the task at hand. Sundowns are aiming for their second continental crown - they last won the CAFCL title exactly a decade ago, beating Zamalek 3-1 on aggregate in the 2015-16 final. 

Betway Premiership Title To Change Hands This Weekend?

While Mamelodi Sundowns could be crowned kings of Africa in Morocco, there is a chance this weekend could turn into a major disappointment for Masandawana if they lose, since their Betway Premiership title reign is possibly set to come to an end in the same weekend. 

Indeed, Sundowns have not been at their usual level domestically this term, having managed 68 points from their 30 games (W20 D8 L2), only two more than Orlando Pirates, who have a game in hand against newly promoted Orbit College this afternoon. 

If the Buccaneers can defeat the Mswenko Boys at the Mbombela Stadium this afternoon, they will be crowned South Africa champions for the first time since 2012, and bring an end to the Brazilians’ eight-year reign as the kings of Mzansi.

Pirates have been in excellent form during the run-in, and after playing to a goalless draw against Durban City last week, they are now unbeaten in their last 12 league games (W8 D4), a period during which they also kept an impressive eight clean sheets.