Mamelodi Sundowns progress to African Champions League final

· CNA · Join
Soccer Football - African Champions League - Semi Final - Second Leg - Mamelodi Sundowns v ES Tunis - Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, South Africa - April 18, 2026 Mamelodi Sundowns' Brayan Leon Muniz scores their first goal from a rebound after missing from the penalty spot REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko
Soccer Football - African Champions League - Semi Final - Second Leg - Mamelodi Sundowns v ES Tunis - Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, South Africa - April 18, 2026 Mamelodi Sundowns' Brayan Leon Muniz celebrates scoring their first goal with Arthur and Thapelo Morena REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko
Soccer Football - African Champions League - Semi Final - Second Leg - Mamelodi Sundowns v ES Tunis - Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, South Africa - April 18, 2026 A Mamelodi Sundowns fan in the stands before the match REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

Read a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST
FAST

PRETORIA, April 18 : Colombian-born striker Brayan Leon saw his penalty saved but tucked away the rebound on Saturday to put South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns through to the African Champions League final at the expense of Esperance of Tunisia.

Leon had his 35th-minute spot kick parried by visiting goalkeeper Bechir Ben Said but snapped up the rebound to ensure a 1-0 home win at Loftus Versfeld.

Leon had scored the only goal of last Sunday’s first leg in Tunis and the 2-0 aggregate triumph means Sundowns are through to the final for a second successive season.

They will take on either Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces or Renaissance Berkane who meet later on Saturday with the military side 2-0 up from last weekend’s first leg in Rabat.

CNA Games

Guess Word
Crack the word, one row at a time

Buzzword
Create words using the given letters

Mini Sudoku
Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser

Mini Crossword
Small grid, big challenge

Word Search
Spot as many words as you can
 Show More
Show Less

Sundowns, runners-up last season, were awarded the penalty after a throw-in back to Ben Said caught the goalkeeper napping as he tried to clear, with Leon sprinting down on him and getting a touch to the ball before the keeper made contact with him as he attempted to kick clear the ball.

Esperance came close to an equaliser minutes before halftime when an effort off the knee of French striker Florin Danho struck the Sundowns’ crossbar.

(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Clare Fallon)

Source: Reuters

Newsletter

Recommended Read

Subscribe to CNA's Recommended Read

A single handpicked story that we think you shouldn't miss. Just one a day.

Sign up for our newsletters

Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox

Subscribe here

Get the CNA app

Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories

Download here

Get WhatsApp alerts

Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app

Join here