Sundowns Conquer Half the World: Nuno Santos Brace Sinks Al Ahli to Set Up FIFA Challenger Cup Showdown
Mamelodi Sundowns have officially been crowned champions of half the planet — and there’s still further to climb.
Miguel Cardoso’s side edged past Saudi Arabian giants Al Ahli 2-1 at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday to lift the FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup, taking one more step toward the ultimate prize in club football: a shot at the FIFA Intercontinental Cup itself.
The match wasted no time delivering drama. Nuno Santos broke the deadlock in the 17th minute, rising to head home a Teboho Mokoena cross after Al Ahli’s defence — including a badly out-of-position Valentin Atangana — failed to deal with the delivery.
It was the kind of defensive mix-up that’s plagued the Saudi Pro League giants in recent weeks, and Sundowns pounced without mercy.
Al Ahli hit back almost instantly. Just two minutes later, Firas Al-Buraikan latched onto a clever pass down the left and fired towards goal, only for the ball to cannon off Ronwen Williams and loop into his own net — a cruel own goal that levelled things at 1-1 heading into the half-time break.
The contest opened up as the second half wore on, with gaps growing between the lines and both sides sensing a winner was coming. Al Ahli spurned several presentable chances, and they paid for it in the 79th minute — Thabanga Matuludi whipped in a cross from the right, and Santos rose above his marker once again to head in his second of the afternoon, restoring Sundowns’ lead at 2-1.
Al Ahli threw everything forward in a frantic finish, but Sundowns’ defence held firm until the final whistle, sealing a famous victory and the African-Asian-Pacific Cup trophy in the process.
The win sends Sundowns through to the FIFA Challenger Cup, where they’ll face the winner of the Derby of the Americas between Concacaf champions Toluca and the eventual Copa Libertadores winners.
Beat that opponent, and Sundowns would book a place in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final itself — a mouth-watering prospect against European champions Paris Saint-Germain.
