Mamelodi Sundowns forwards Cassius Mailula and Peter Shalulile
In Loftus Versfeld
Mamelodi Sundowns put in a poor time in what should have been a regulation CAF Champions League home demolition; instead, they had to settle for a 1-0 win against Al-Hilal from Sudan at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
On a pitch that has soaked up all the rain that has hit the Highveld over the past week and a bit, the Sundowns were very functional in most areas, but unnecessarily stylish in front of goal.
It cost them many scoring chances and it seems to be a habit that they have not removed from previous seasons.
It took them a long time, especially on the road and in playoff games, where the sharpest and most defensively resolute teams have punished them.
It’s still early in the group stage but with trips to Garoua (Coton Sport), Cairo (Al-Ahly) and Saturday’s opposition second leg in Omdurman to qualify for Group B, Sundowns must be clinical and less elaborate in front of meta.
What may save Sundowns’ blushes in the group stage is that it’s head-to-head and not goal difference that matters.
Having gone out in the quarter-final stages at three consecutive tournaments, Sundowns will know that they cannot afford to be charitable in front of goal.
The bad habit has to be shaken with immediate effect. Too bad they didn’t bury Florent Ibenge’s side under an avalanche of goals, as the visitors were only interested in taking home a point for most of the game.
Little to Ronwen Williams’ concern, however, they displayed nuances of attacking football that will ask Sundowns and other teams pressing questions when they play at home.
That said, amongst the slew of chances Sundowns had in an uneventful first half that at least saw the rain clear, Cassius Mailula opened the scoring on 25 minutes when Hilal goalkeeper Ali Abdalla Aboeshren parried a Neo shot. Mother on her way.
It was a half chance at best, but Sundowns made the most of it and when they had a clear chance on the brink of half time, Peter Shalulile didn’t put enough power into his left footed shot to test Aboeshren.
It was in the second half when the locals showed a dominance that was not rewarded.
Mailula got the ball rolling in the 47th minute when he forced an excellent save from Aboeshren, but a minute later, far side official Nabina Sebutu of Côte d’Ivoire wrongly ruled it offside.
In that case, Mailula had jumped the offside trap through an excellent pass from Maema, with Mailula’s first touch and shot past Aboeshren.
He didn’t get the better of Sebutu, who made the only mistake in what was a flawless display by the Ivorian referees, led by Jean-Jacques Ndala.
Aboeshren saved Marcelo Allende’s free-kick well on 56 minutes and, despite Sundowns’ steady progress, they were unable to be incisive going on target.
Al-Hilal was reduced to 10 men when defender Altayeb Abdallah was sent off in the 86th minute for a deliberate handball, but it did not have a marked effect on the result.
Sundowns continued to press, and they may not have had the required return on goal despite 15 shots on target, but they did win the crucial three points to get their campaign back on track.
