CAF Champions League

Having unleashed Cassius Mailula in their 7-0 drubbing of La Passe 7-in the Caf Champions League last October. Mamelodi Sundowns could give two more gems ...

There are so many factors of how a player can reach his full potential.” “You never know whether they are ready or not. Having unleashed Cassius Mailula in their 7-0 drubbing of La Passe 7-in the Caf Champions League last October.

Trésor Mputu Mabi, 37, has retired from football; the former DR Congo international has confirmed. On Thursday, 9 February, Mputu, who spent most of his ...

He joined Mazembe from Kin City in 2002 and never looked back. Mputu retires as the all-time top scorer of the CAF interclub competitions with 41 goals to his name. Mputu, who spent all of his career on the continent won everything during a 19-year stay with 'The Ravens'.

Esperance Tunis kicks off its Group D journey with a match against Sudan's Al-Merrick this Saturday.

Hamdi (Maarouf, Esperance president, Ed.), the club board and supporters is the Champions League. Since the 25th of July (2022) on the day our season started, in our team-talks, we were clear that our goal and the goal of Mr. The head coach of Tunisia's****Esperance Sportive, Nabil Maloul, claimed on Friday that his team is ready to compete in the CAF Champions League.

In his debut season as the main man at the helm of Mamelodi Sundowns, head coach Rulani Mokwena wants his team to go full throttle in pursuit of CAF ...

Mokwena said: The game kicks off at 3pm.

GOAL predicts Mamelodi Sundowns' starting-line-up ahead of their Caf Champions League clash against Al Hilal on Saturday.

- backpagepix - Backpagepix Jali](/en-za/player/a-jali/xcpmpbhc2p2kvy3lrl9bjvf9) Shalulile](/en-za/player/p-shalulile/brv7bpht4im2usg2g1wyihbzd) [A. Zwane](/en-za/player/t-zwane/ejedv0ucnxotfpn0bv8x0dck5) [P. - Backpage

Since winning their maiden Caf Champions League in 2016, Mamelodi Sundowns have underwhelmed in the continental competition.

“Firstly, we have to recognise that there are a lot of difficult teams that have made it into the group stages of the Champions League and over the years it has become a tough competition for all teams. They are a competitive team and we will be thorough in preparations as we always are,” said Mokwena on their strategy when they eventually face the Cameroonians. Similarly to Sundowns, the Sudanese lead their domestic league. They also conceded the fewest goals (jointly), letting in just two (along with Morocco’s Raja Casablanca and Espérance of Tunisia). Last season they were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Angolan side Petro Atlético after a 3-2 aggregate defeat. “Sundowns shouldn’t be judged on the Premier Soccer League, to be fair.

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena will unleash promising attacker Cassius Mailula for their Caf Champions League, group stages clash against Al-Hilal ...

“If you don’t give these young ones an opportunity to play in games of consequence, you don’t throw them in the deep end in these types of scenarios and competitions, how do they give them experience?” he asked. “Many coaches persisted and trusted him, giving him games that were very difficult, [when it may have bee easier to give them to] more senior or experienced players.” “I can go on and on about this, given what we saw during the World Cup in Qatar and the exposure that these players were getting on that type of stage at a young age.

Mamelodi Sundowns fans are in for a treat this afternoon with SABC+ live streaming their CAF champions League clash for FREE!

[ALSO READ • Orlando Pirates sign R4 million star from rivals](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/soccer/psl-south-africa/orlando-pirates-sign-r4-million-star-rivals-breaking-22-january-2023/) [ALSO READ • Kaizer Chiefs coach disappointed for legendary chairman](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/soccer/psl-south-africa/kaizer-chiefs-coach-disappointed-chairman-breaking-8-january-2023/) Al-Hilal is doing very well in the league and we’ve managed to get a little bit of their videos against Simba SC and Azam FC. [ALSO READ • EX Bucs striker joins Pitso Mosimane’s opponents in Saudi](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/soccer/psl-south-africa/orlando-pirates-striker-signs-pitso-mosimane-saudi-arabia-breaking-30-january-2023/) [ALSO READ • Axed Kaizer Chiefs star signs for Amakhosi’s Soweto rivals](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/soccer/psl-south-africa/kaizer-chiefs-star-signs-soweto-rivals-middendorp-breaking-30-january-2023/) [ALSO READ • Kaizer Chiefs top boss gives important transfer update](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/soccer/psl-south-africa/kaizer-chiefs-boss-transfer-bombshell-bobby-motaung-breaking-27-january-2023/) [ALSO READ • Sundowns plotting a move for Orlando Pirates star!](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/soccer/psl-south-africa/orlando-pirates-mamelodi-sundowns-r17-million-transfer-shock-breaking-25-january-2023/) [ALSO READ • Kaizer Chiefs reject big name South American midfielder!](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/soccer/psl-south-africa/kaizer-chiefs-reject-south-american-star-blom-breaking-25-january-2023/) Standing in their way are Sudanese giants Al Hilal. [ALSO READ • DONE DEAL: Kaizer Chiefs send rising star out on loan!](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/soccer/psl-south-africa/kaizer-chiefs-send-star-out-on-loan-latest-transfers-breaking-6-january-2023/) [ALSO READ • Kaizer Chiefs had deadline-day bid rejected for PSL star!](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/soccer/psl-south-africa/kaizer-chiefs-bid-rejected-psl-star-rivals-fee-breaking-03-january-2023/) [ALSO READ • Kaizer Chiefs could sign these TWO strikers from rivals for FREE](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/soccer/psl-south-africa/kaizer-chiefs-double-signing-solution-rivals-breaking-10-february-2023/)

On Saturday, Tunisian heavyweight Esperance ST will lock horns with Sudan-based Al Merreikh at the Stade Olympique Hamadi Agrebi Stadium.

Al-Meririkh are a top team in Sudan and a runner-up in the CAF confederation competition in 2017. Their best results in this competition were a quarter-final finish in 1975 and a semifinalist in 2015. Since that terrible performance, Esperance ST have improved massively, and we can see them finishing in the top four this season. Esperance ST had a rough start to the season but have bounced back just in time for their CAF campaign. The Glowing Red are regular participants in this competition. The Blood and Gold side are the most successful team in the Tunisia Professional League, with thirty-one (31) league titles.

Such has been Mamelodi Sundowns' domestic form this season that there are those who take it for granted.

But they will be no pushovers, especially in their own backyard where they are likely to play the renowned mind games typical in this competition. Yet such is their current form that Mokwena and Co will believe they can get six points against Percy Tau and his teammates. Coton Sport, finalists in 2008 when they lost to Al Ahly, may appear set to be hamstrung by the sale of their top player Souaibou Marou to Orlando Pirates. But Al-hilal are coached by the revered and tactically astute Congolese Florent Ibenge, who was the mastermind of Sundowns’ defeat by AS Vita back in 2016 when they won the competition. Since winning the Champions League back in 2016, the multiple South African champions have found it hard to get past the quarter-final stage – losing there in four of their six campaigns. They played two matches more than record champions Ahly.

Al Hilal coach Florent Ibengé has spoken in glowing terms about counterpart Pitso Mosimane for the giant strides that he has made in his coaching career.

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rhulani Mokwena has named his team to play Al Hilal in Group B of the Caf Caf Champions League. Influential assistant captain Themba ...

Mamelodi Sundowns get their 2022/22 CAF Champions League group stages campaign underway this afternoon against Al-Hilal. Rhulani Mokwena's side hold healthy ...

[ALSO READ • Orlando Pirates sign R4 million star from rivals](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/soccer/psl-south-africa/orlando-pirates-sign-r4-million-star-rivals-breaking-22-january-2023/) [ALSO READ • Kaizer Chiefs coach disappointed for legendary chairman](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/soccer/psl-south-africa/kaizer-chiefs-coach-disappointed-chairman-breaking-8-january-2023/) Al-Hilal is doing very well in the league and we’ve managed to get a little bit of their videos against Simba SC and Azam FC. [ALSO READ • EX Bucs striker joins Pitso Mosimane’s opponents in Saudi](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/soccer/psl-south-africa/orlando-pirates-striker-signs-pitso-mosimane-saudi-arabia-breaking-30-january-2023/) [ALSO READ • Axed Kaizer Chiefs star signs for Amakhosi’s Soweto rivals](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/soccer/psl-south-africa/kaizer-chiefs-star-signs-soweto-rivals-middendorp-breaking-30-january-2023/) [ALSO READ • Kaizer Chiefs top boss gives important transfer update](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/soccer/psl-south-africa/kaizer-chiefs-boss-transfer-bombshell-bobby-motaung-breaking-27-january-2023/) [ALSO READ • Sundowns plotting a move for Orlando Pirates star!](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/soccer/psl-south-africa/orlando-pirates-mamelodi-sundowns-r17-million-transfer-shock-breaking-25-january-2023/) [ALSO READ • Kaizer Chiefs reject big name South American midfielder!](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/soccer/psl-south-africa/kaizer-chiefs-reject-south-american-star-blom-breaking-25-january-2023/) Standing in their way are Sudanese giants Al Hilal. [ALSO READ • Kaizer Chiefs had deadline-day bid rejected for PSL star!](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/soccer/psl-south-africa/kaizer-chiefs-bid-rejected-psl-star-rivals-fee-breaking-03-january-2023/) [ALSO READ • Kaizer Chiefs could sign these TWO strikers from rivals for FREE](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/soccer/psl-south-africa/kaizer-chiefs-double-signing-solution-rivals-breaking-10-february-2023/)

Sundowns recorded a narrow 1-0 win over Al Hilal in the CAF Champions League group stage opener at Loftus Versveld Stadium on Saturday.

Mamelodi Sundowns recorded a narrow 1-0 win over Al Hilal in the CAF Champions League group stage opener at Loftus Versveld Stadium on Saturday. Cassius Mailula of Mamelodi Sundowns celebrates goal with teammate Peter Shalulile of Mamelodi Sundownsduring the DStv Premiership 2022/23 match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Sekhukhune United at the Loftus Stadium, Pretoria on the 28 January 2023 ©Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix Sundowns recorded a narrow 1-0 win over Al Hilal in the CAF Champions League group stage opener at Loftus Versveld Stadium on Saturday.

Mamelodi Sundowns striker Cassius Mailula (front) celebrates his goal with teammates during the CAF Champion League match against Al Hilal at Loftus.

Cassius Mailula inspired Mamelodi Sundowns to a win over Al Hilal Omdurman in Saturday's Caf Champions League clash.

[Rhulani Mokwena](https://www.goal.com/en-za/news/mokwena-reveals-why-he-makes-mamelodi-sundowns-players-watch-brighton-and-hove-albion-matches/bltf034f3785c842c89) will be hoping that the team maintains its great form in the group stage and goes on to reach at least the semi-finals. Mailula was unfazed by playing in the big stage as he continued his scoring form when he netted the only goal of the match and he was a constant threat to the Al Hilal defence during his time on the pitch. [Mailula ](https://www.goal.com/en-za/player/cassius-mailula/7ldwk5ikbjcfd3zpke7s6to9g)as the diminutive forward was recalled to the team in the absence of the club's inspirational vice-captain [Themba Zwane](https://www.goal.com/en-za/player/themba-zwane/ejedv0ucnxotfpn0bv8x0dck5).

Petro de Luanda and Algeria's JS Kabylie played to a barren draw in their opening Group A match of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League in Angola on ...

The visitors were happy sitting behind and guarding their rare. The home side, pushed on by their home advantage tried to get something off the tie and they came inches close in the 82nd minute, but Marcos Palanga’s header off a corner missed the target by a whisker. The best opportunity of the game fell to Adriana Nicolo whose close range header failing to beat the Kabylie keeper in the 20th minute.

Sundowns recorded a narrow 1-0 win over Al Hilal in the CAF Champions League group stage opener at Loftus Versveld Stadium on Saturday.

Mamelodi Sundowns recorded a narrow 1-0 win over Al Hilal in the CAF Champions League group stage opener at Loftus Versveld Stadium on Saturday. Cassius Mailula of Mamelodi Sundowns celebrates goal with teammate Peter Shalulile of Mamelodi Sundownsduring the DStv Premiership 2022/23 match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Sekhukhune United at the Loftus Stadium, Pretoria on the 28 January 2023 ©Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix Sundowns recorded a narrow 1-0 win over Al Hilal in the CAF Champions League group stage opener at Loftus Versveld Stadium on Saturday.

Playing in just his third match in the premier continental club competition, 21-year-old Cassius Mailula continued with his impressive scoring form when he ...

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Raja Casablanca made a bold statement about their intention this season in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League as they opened their account defeating ...

In South Africa, Mamelodi Sundowns secured a 1-0 win over Al Hilal of Sudan, with Sundowns scoring the only goal of the match in the first-half through Cassious Mailula. The first match of Group D saw Belouizdad securing a 1-0 away win over Zamalek, with the Algerian side scoring the only goal of the match in the second half through Cameroonian striker Leonel Wemba. Esperance secured a 1-0 win over Al Merreikh of Sudan in the group, with the Tunisian side putting in a strong performance to secure the three points.