Almost a decade ago, Mamelodi Sundowns made history by defeating Zamalek 3-1 over two legs to be crowned African champions.
This triumph came after they had previously suffered a 4-1 loss to this weekend’s opponents, Al Ahly, in the 2001 final.
Heading into the second leg at the Cairo International Stadium, Sundowns hold a slight advantage, having secured a goalless draw in the first leg against their more illustrious opponents.
Away goals could be the deciding factor in the event of a score draw, but Sundowns will need to remain cautious against a team that boasts 12 Champions League titles.
After holding the Egyptian giants to a draw at home, Sundowns’ head coach expressed confidence in his team’s ability to get a positive result on the road.
Speaking to The Sowetan, he said: “I still believe we can beat Al Ahly because we didn’t lose to them in this match. There’s still a lot to play for, and we can achieve this with belief and the capacity we have to perform on the pitch.
“We are going there expecting a different match. Whoever progresses, the other team won’t be happy. But the team that advances will be strong because these are the two best teams in Africa. One will suffer in the end, but I hope we can be strong enough to cope.”
Al Ahly’s coach, Marcel Koller, remains confident that his team will reach another final, despite a loss to South African side Orlando Pirates in the group stages.
“It’s very important not to dwell too much on the past. Sundowns is not Orlando, and vice versa,” Koller remarked.
“Orlando’s victory over us in the group stage was due to special circumstances. There was an own goal, and another goal wasn’t counted for us because there was no VAR to review Rami Rabia’s play.”
“We are very well prepared for the match. In the first leg, neither team managed to score, so we expect a very intense match. However, we will be playing at home in front of our fans, who will fill the stands.”
