World Soccer - UK (2022-05)

Record breakers...

Mamelodi Sundowns

midfielder Thapelo

Morena celebrates

against Sudan’s Al

Hilal Omdurman

amelodi Sundowns set

a new benchmark for

the group phase

of the African

Champions League

with a record points

haul, but must now get rid of their

Manchester City-esque penchant for

flattering to deceive ahead of the

knockout phase of the competition.

The South African club, who are

owned by Confederation of African

South African side reach knockout stages with record points

haul as they bid to end their CAF Champions League hoodoo

Africa

MARK GLEESON

Football president Patrice Motsepe,

became the first team since the group

competition started in1997 to amass

16 points from their six matches –

five wins and one draw.

Previously Esperance from Tunisia

had won five but lost one in1999

and 2013, but the Pretoria outfit went

one better in an impressive display of

efficiency that included beating the

holders Al Ahly both home and away.

But the Egyptian giants still qualified

Mamelodi Sundowns

set new standards

in second place from Group A and

remain on course to become the first

team to win Africa’s top club prize

three years in a row.

The Cairo club are coached by

the South African Pitso Mosimane,

who made his name at Sundowns

but had to suffer the humiliation

of first losing at home and then, a

fortnight later, away to his former

employers, with whom he now

has an antagonistic relationship.

M