Sundowns held in cagey first leg as tie goes down to the wire
Mamelodi Sundowns were held to a goalless draw by Girabola leaders Wiliete SC in a tight, cautious first leg of the CAF Champions League second preliminary round.
The game was at the Estádio Nacional da Tundavala in Lubango, Angola.
The reigning continental champions could not find a breakthrough against a disciplined home side, and they will take the 0-0 scoreline back to Pretoria with the tie still very much alive.
Sundowns arrived in Angola on the back of a 4-1 league win over Richards Bay and an MTN8 triumph, and they had topped the Betway Premiership after nine matches.
Coach Miguel Cardoso fielded a rotated side, with Goss in goal, Matuludi, Khoza, Ndamane and Basadien across the back, and Mokoena, Allende and Morena in midfield. Santos, Matthews and Brayan León led the attack.
Wiliete came into the game unbeaten and in strong domestic form. They had secured a 5-0 aggregate win over Foresters Mont Fleuri and sat top of the Angolan league, so the home side had every reason to believe they could make the visitors work for everything.
The opening 45 minutes were defined by organisation rather than chances. Wiliete’s well-drilled defence frustrated the visitors in front of their own supporters, and Sundowns controlled spells of possession without finding a clear route to goal. Neither side managed to force a meaningful opening before the interval.
The visitors pushed harder after the break. Matthews tested the Wiliete goalkeeper in the 66th minute, but the keeper held the effort comfortably.
Cardoso then reshaped his attack, bringing on Thabo Cele and Siyanda Ndlovu for Matthews and Nuno Santos in the 70th minute, before introducing Iqraam Rayners and Divine Lunga for León and Basadien in the 77th.
The substitutes gave the visitors their best late chance. In the 89th minute, Rayners struck with his right foot from the edge of the box, but the effort drifted just wide and denied Sundowns a dramatic winner.
Sundowns’ official X account summed up the mood at full time: “Our first #TotalEnergiesCAFCL preliminary fixture ends in a draw. Let’s get it done at Loftus.” Supporters on social media echoed that view, stressing that the away draw must be turned into progression in front of their own fans.
Wiliete will travel to Pretoria with confidence and will fancy their chances of causing an upset. Sundowns, however, hold the advantage of continental pedigree and home support, and they remain the clear favourites to advance. The second leg takes place at Loftus Versfeld on Friday, 23 October 2026.
