Mamelodi Sundowns booked their place in the CAF Champions League final after a dramatic 1-1 draw against Al Ahly in Cairo on Friday night, progressing via the away goals rule.
Following a goalless first leg in Pretoria, Al Ahly took control of the return leg when Taher Mohamed fired the hosts into the lead midway through the first half, finishing off a pass from Emam Ashour.
With a raucous crowd behind them, the Egyptian giants dominated the opening half and looked poised to end their winless streak against the South Africans. But Sundowns had other plans.
In the 80th minute, a dangerous low cross into the box forced Al Ahly defender Yasser Ibrahim into scoring an own goal under pressure from Peter Shalulile, giving Sundowns a crucial away goal.
Al Ahly pushed for a winner, with Achraf Bencharki and Wessam Abou Ali coming close, but Sundowns held firm to secure qualification.
This result marks Sundowns’ ninth consecutive unbeaten match against Al Ahly and sees them advance to the final, where they will face either Pyramids FC or Orlando Pirates.
It was a crushing blow for Al Ahly, whose hopes for another continental crown ended on home soil.
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