Defending champions Al Ahly of Egypt and South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns advanced to the semifinals of this season’s CAF Champions League after securing wins against Tanzanian sides Simba and Young Africans, respectively, on Friday.
Al Ahly defeated Simba 2-0 in their quarterfinal second leg at the Cairo International Stadium in Cairo courtesy of second half goals from Ahmed El Solia and Kahraba. The win secured a comfortable 3-0 aggregate victory for the Egyptian side.
Meanwhile, at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, Sundowns sneaked past stubborn Young Africans after winning a penalty shootout following a goalless draw over both legs.
Sundowns prevailed 3-2 in the shootout with South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams emerging the hero after saving two spot-kicks. Williams continues to make a name for himself as a penalty shot-stopper following his heroics at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Williams famously saved four penalties in South Africa’s quarterfinal win against Cape Verde. He then saved two penalties in the third-place playoff win against the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The last two quarterfinal ties will see Angola’s Petro Atletico host TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ghana’s ASEC Mimosas welcome Esperance of Tunisia on Saturday. Both ties were finely poised after both first legs ended goalless.
In the semifinals, Al Ahly will take on either Petro Atletico or TP Mazembe, while Sundowns await the winner of the game between ASEC Mimosas and Esperance.
