Esperance Sportive De Tunis vs Mamelodi Sundowns Prediction & Betting Tips - CAF Champions League

Prediction published on 18/04/2024, 15:00  by Devesh Jaganath | Modified on 20/04/2024 at 07:00 in CAF Champions League Prediction

ES Tunis will welcome Mamelodi Sundowns to Rades on Saturday evening for the first leg of the CAF Champions League semi-final. The winner of this two-legged tie will move on to face either TP Mazembe or Al Ahly in the grand final next month. ES Tunis are featuring in their second consecutive semi-final in this competition and their third in four seasons. Last term, they were beaten by eventual winners Al Ahly and they have not won the tournament since going back-to-back between 2017 and 2019. The Red and Yellows finished second in their group with 11 points in six games, one point behind group winners Petro de Luanda. They then played out goalless draws in both legs of the quarter-final against ASEC but got through 4-2 on penalties. In four CAF Champions League contests at Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi this season, Tunis have remained unbeaten with two wins and two draws. They will be aiming to extend their nine-match unbeaten streak at home in all competitions, though the Tunisian outfit have failed to score in their last 248 minutes of play in this competition. 

Meanwhile, Mamelodi Sundowns are also featuring in their second consecutive CAF Champions League semi-final and are still in the hunt for what would be only their second-ever title. Their only triumph in this competition was in 2015-16 when they beat Zamalek 3-1 on aggregate. The Brazilians have been in excellent form this season, unbeaten after 21 games in the South African PSL and finishing top of their group in this competition with 13 points in six games, three points clear TP Mazembe. Sundowns have secured two wins, one draw, and one loss away from Loftus Versfeld Stadium in the competition this season but are currently enjoying a nine-match unbeaten streak away from home. The visitor's major strength this season has been their defence, which has not been breached in any of their last six matches in this competition. However, like their opponents here, Sundowns have failed to score in over 200 minutes of football and will have to rely on keeping another clean sheet here to give them the advantage in the return leg next week.