Al Hilal Omdurman of Sudan and Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa booked their spots in the CAF Champions League quarter-finals after crucial wins in Group C on Saturday.
Al Hilal claimed top spot in the group thanks to a gritty 1-0 victory over Saint-Eloi Lupopo at Kigali’s Amahoro Stadium. The breakthrough came in the 30th minute when Congolese defender Steven Ebuela fired a shot from the right wing into the net, giving Al Hilal an early lead. From there, the Sudanese side defended with discipline and composure, keeping Lupopo at bay for the rest of the match.
Lupopo, tried to fight back but struggled to turn possession into clear chances. The game took another twist just before halftime when Senegalese defender Mendy was shown a red card, leaving Lupopo a man down. With the numerical advantage, Al Hilal controlled the tempo, patiently shutting down any threat and securing their position at the top with 11 points.
Over in South Africa, Mamelodi Sundowns sealed their quarter-final spot as runners-up with a confident 2-0 win over MC Alger at Loftus Versfeld Stadium. Colombian forward Brayan Leon was the star of the show, scoring both goals. He opened the scoring within six minutes, reacting quickly to a rebound after his first attempt was saved, then doubled the lead just after the hour mark from a low cross by Aubrey Modiba.
The win was a relief for Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso, whose side needed the victory to advance.
