The first leg of the quarter-finals of the 2025/26 CAF Champions League kicked off on Friday evening in South Africa, with Mamelodi Sundowns hosting Malian champions Stade Malien in an exciting encounter.
Playing at home, Sundowns started the match on the front foot and dominated proceedings from the opening minutes. The hosts piled pressure on the Malian side, forcing goalkeeper N’Golo Traoré into several early interventions to keep the score level.
Despite Traoré’s efforts between the posts, the South African champions eventually broke the deadlock in the 34th minute. Defender Khuliso Mudau found the back of the net to give Sundowns a deserved lead heading into the halftime break.
Sundowns returned from the interval with the same attacking intent and continued to control the tempo of the match. Their persistence paid off in the 54th minute when Leon Muniz doubled the advantage, putting the hosts firmly in control of the encounter.
Iqraam Rayners later added the third goal in the 74th minute to seal an emphatic win for the Brazilians, giving them a strong advantage ahead of the return leg.
Stade Malien entered the match with confidence after an impressive group-stage campaign, where they became the first Malian club to top a Champions League group. However, they struggled to cope with the intensity and quality of the South African side.
The Malian champions will now return home to prepare for the second leg next week in Mali, where they will hope to overturn the deficit.
Meanwhile, Sundowns will travel with confidence as they look to defend their lead and secure progression to the semi-finals.
The quarter-final appearance marks Sundowns eighth consecutive qualification at this stage of the competition, highlighting their consistency in African club football.