Mamelodi Sundowns hammer Zamalek

Mamelodi Sundowns 3-0 Zamalek

The one hand is firmly on the CAF Champions League trophy after Mamelodi Sundowns hammered Zamalek at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday. 

Of course nothing can be taken for granted with the second leg still to come in Alexandria in Egypt next Sunday.

But it will take something special by Zamalek to stop the Brazilians becoming only the second South African team to be crowned African champions.

Orlando Pirates won the competition back in 1995.

And on Saturday Sundowns got close to emulating them with this emphatic showing that saw them achieve their big objective of not conceding a goal in their backyard.

Goals by Anthony Laffor, Tebogo Langerman and an own goal by Islam Gamal gave Sundowns a massive advantage that even they wouldn’t have envisaged.

Not in their wildest dreams would Sundowns have dreamt of being 2-0 up at half time. But they applied themselves did the Brazilians and were full value of the advantage they enjoyed.

Following a stuttering start in which he continuously got into good positions but failed to profit, Laffor opened the scoring after beating a failed Zamalek offside trap.

Captain Hlompho Kekana delivered a fantastic throughball to find the Liberian on the edge of the box and a sublime control and turn preceded a powerful right-footed drive that beat the flailing Ahmed El-Shenawy in the visitors’ goal, 1-0.

The goal was just reward for an extended period of domination that saw Sundowns pile on the pressure to keep the White Knights pinned in their own half.

Just six minutes before he scored, Laffor had shot wide after meeting a cross from the left all alone inside the box.

Percy Tau failed to connect a good cross from the left on 20 minuets, the youngster just not jumping high enough to make a successful header.’

Two minutes later, Thabo Nthethe headed down but the on-running Tiyani Mabunda was too late to meet the ball as it went inches off the target.

Almost immediately there was a promising team attack but then Keagan Dolly tried to walk the ball into the box when a shot from the edge appeared the better option.

And then Sundowns got their second via an unlikely source and somewhat fortuitously. Langerman appeared to be delivering a hopeful cross into the box but the ball incredibly beat El-Shenawy and bounced off the upright into the net.

At 2-0 going into the break, Sundowns sat pretty. But as most of their former players who were in that 2001 team that lost in the Champions league final said prior to the match, the best for Sundowns would be to take at least a 3-0 lead to Alexandria.

Mosimane’s men heeded the advice as they attacked from the onset. They were duly rewarded when Eslam Gamal poked home into his own net as he attempted to clear a Tau cross.

And while Zamalek worked hard to try and get that all important goal on the road, Sundowns held on for a fantastic victory that sets them en route to a dream success. IOL