Kings of Africa again! Superb Sundowns add second star with final win against FAR

Sowetan · 🇿🇦 public South Africa · May 24, 2026 · 872 words · By Marc Strydom

Sporting Triumph National Pride

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What to know about Sporting Triumph

A decade later, Mamelodi Sundowns are kings of Africa again.

Claims checked 16

Techniques found 3

Topics 2

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Right coverage

Left10%

Center90%

Right0%

10 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

A decade later, Mamelodi Sundowns are kings of Africa again.

Why it matters

And what a deserved title that is for a side who have bashed at the door in the Champions League for that 10 years since their 2016 triumph, and were outstanding on the night drawing in Sunday night’s second leg of the final against AS FAR in Rabat.

Common ground

And excellent, too across both legs for a 2-1 aggregate scoreline.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Flag-Waving, Exaggeration / Hyperbole: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Sporting Triumph story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that president Tlhopie Motsepe at Chloorkop?
How does this story connect Sporting Triumph with National Pride over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.sowetan.co.za/sport/soccer/2026-05-24-kings-of-africa-again-superb-s…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 3 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 90% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

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Flag-Waving 85% confidence

Exploiting patriotic or group feelings to justify or promote an action.

Why it matters: Recognizing flag-waving helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Exaggeration / Hyperbole 70% confidence

Overstating facts or claims to create a stronger emotional response.

Why it matters: Recognizing exaggeration / hyperbole helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 16 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 6

check_circle Corroborated 6

info Single Source 3

verified Verified By Reference 1

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Claim 1: “president Tlhopie Motsepe at Chloorkop”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 2: “Jayden Adams, Brayan Leon, Nuno Santos and Khulumani Ndamane are among arrivals in 2025-26”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 3: “drawing in Sunday night’s second leg of the final against AS FAR in Rabat.”

CORROBORATED

Web search results from multiple sources confirm the second leg of the CAF Champions League final took place in Rabat against AS FAR and that the halftime score was 1-1, contributing to a draw/aggregate result.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 CAF Champions League final is the two-legged final of the 2025–26 CAF Champions League, the 62nd edition of Africa's premier club football tournament organized by the Confederation of African…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_CAF_Champions_League_fina…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2016 CAF Champions League final was the final of the 2016 CAF Champions League, the 52nd edition of Africa's premier club football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CA…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_CAF_Champions_League_fina…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2016 CAF Champions League (officially the 2016 Orange CAF Champions League for sponsorship reasons) was the 52nd edition of Africa's premier club football tournament organized by the Confederation…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_CAF_Champions_League

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 4: “Mamelodi Sundowns are kings of Africa again.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources (Al Jazeera, Timeslive, Sowetan) and Wikipedia confirm that Mamelodi Sundowns won the CAF Champions League in 2016 and were competing to win it again. The context of the other claims (winning the final against AS FAR) corroborates they have regained the title.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club (simply known as the Sundowns) is a South African professional football club based in Mamelodi, Pretoria, Gauteng that plays in the Premiership, the first tier of South…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamelodi_Sundowns_F.C.

+ 2 more evidence sources

info

Claim 5: “Ronwen Williams had not produced a superb stop from another penalty by Hrimat in the 76th”

SINGLE SOURCE

Evidence confirms Ronwen Williams is a goalkeeper known for saving penalties (specifically in AFCON), but there is no specific evidence provided confirming a save against Hrimat in the 76th minute of this specific match.

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web search NEUTRAL — 5 Did you know? In the last edition of the AFCON, Williams became the first goalkeeper to save four (4) penalties in a single AFCON shootout in the Quarterfinals win aga. nst Cape Verde. In fact, this…
https://www.safa.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/AFCON_Player…

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web search NEUTRAL — Thomas Lloyd-Morris, Garddwr y Cyngor Tref Ynghyd â dau aelod o’r cyhoedd, yn cynnwys Ronwen Roberts, a oedd am siarad am Gwm Cynfal dan eitem Cyfranogiad y Cyhoedd.
https://www.cyngortrefffestiniog.cymru/wp-content/uploads/Co…

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web search NEUTRAL — Mamelodi Sundowns FC STARTING 30 GK Ronwen WILLIAMS 4 MF Teboho MOKOENA 69' 10 FW LUCAS RIBEIRO 11 MF Marcelo ALLENDE 11' 70' 95'
https://www.fifatrainingcentre.com/media/native/tournaments/…

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Claim 6: “Midfielder Mohamed Hrimat opened the scoring with a 40th-minute penalty”

SINGLE SOURCE

The web search results for 'Mohamed Hrimat' returned information about the Prophet Muhammad and unrelated topics, providing no evidence regarding a penalty goal in the 40th minute.

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web search NEUTRAL — ^ He is referred to by many appellations, including Muhammad ibn Abd Allah, Messenger of God, Prophet Muhammad, God's Apostle, Last Prophet of Islam, and others; there are also variant spellings of Mu…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad

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web search NEUTRAL — Jul 20, 2009 · Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, is the man beloved by more than 1.2 billion Muslims. He is the man who taught us patience in the face of adversity, and…
https://www.islamreligion.com/articles/2626/who-is-prophet-m…

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web search NEUTRAL — Sep 8, 2025 · The life of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is one of the most remarkable stories in human history. Born in 570 CE in Mecca, during a time of tribal conflict and ignorance, he rose to become a mess…
https://www.islamicity.org/105561/timeline-of-the-life-of-pr…

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Claim 7: “their 2016 success under Pitso Mosimane.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 8: “Bafana Bafana play the opening game of the 2026 World Cup against co-hosts Mexico in Mexico City on June 11.”

CORROBORATED

Three independent sources (High Commission of Canada, FIFA, and a news report mentioning President Ramaphosa) confirm Bafana Bafana will play Mexico in the opening game of the 2026 World Cup on June 11 in Mexico City.

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web search NEUTRAL — May 11, 2026 ... President Cyril Ramaphosa will attend the opening match of FIFA World Cup 2026 between Mexico and South Africa on the 11th of June in Mexico ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PKBveg0P1U

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web search NEUTRAL — 4 days ago ... BREAKING ‼️ Bafana Bafana will face Mexico in the opening game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. #FIFAWC2026.
https://www.facebook.com/CanadainSouthAfrica/posts/together-…

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web search NEUTRAL — 3 days ago ... Broos' side will contest the opening game of the tournament against co-hosts Mexico at Mexico City Stadium. The match is a repeat of the South ...
https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexi…

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Claim 9: “Coach Miguel Cardoso’s Brazilians”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent news sources (Sowetan, Timeslive, Dailydispatch, Theherald) explicitly identify Miguel Cardoso as the coach of Mamelodi Sundowns.

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cross reference SUPPORTS — Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso has accused the league and match officials of “rolling out the red carpet” for Orlando Pirates
https://www.sowetan.co.za/entertainment/2026-05-13-between-m…

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cross reference SUPPORTS — Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso
https://www.sowetan.co.za/sport/2026-05-04-downs-cardoso-set…

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cross reference SUPPORTS — Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso says they have done their due diligence on Moroccan side AS FAR
https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/soccer/2026-05-16-stage-se…

+ 2 more evidence sources

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Claim 10: “They reached the last four semifinals and last two finals, narrowly losing 3-2 on aggregate to Egypt’s Pyramids last year.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 11: “Teboho Mokena’ excellent finish completed an excellent build-up and stunned the home crowd in the seventh minute of 10 added before the break.”

SINGLE SOURCE

While evidence confirms Teboho Mokoena plays for Sundowns and has scored goals in the past, there is no specific evidence in the provided results confirming a goal in the 7th minute of stoppage time in the final against AS FAR.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Teboho Mokoena, Team: Mamelodi Sundowns FC, Age: 29, Country: South Africa, Height: 176 cm, Preferred foot: Right, Shirt: 4, Transfer value: €1.4M.
https://www.fotmob.com/players/848361/teboho-mokoena

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web search NEUTRAL — Record signing Teboho Mokoena scored his first Mamelodi Sundowns goal as the Brazilians’ relentless march to the 2021/22 DStv Premiership title continued with a 2-0 victory over strugglers Chippa Unit…
https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/soccer/2022-02-07-record-s…

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web search NEUTRAL — Teboho Mokoena, Mamelodi Sundowns, October 2025 Backpage.In the aftermath of a comfortable afternoon in Pretoria, Mamelodi Sundowns manager Miguel Cardoso took time to single out Teboho Mokoena for hi…
https://www.goal.com/en-za/lists/miguel-cardoso-praises-tebo…

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Claim 12: “domestically he’s ceded the eight-in-succession Betway Premiership streak to Orlando Pirates”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 13: “The 1-0 scoreline from Loftus Versfeld last Sunday”

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results (ESPN and others) confirm Mamelodi Sundowns won the first leg 1-0 against AS FAR at Loftus Versfeld.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — A moment of brilliance from Aubrey Modiba gave Mamelodi Sundowns victory in the first leg of the CAF Champions League final, as the South African champions defeated AS FAR Rabat 1-0 at the Loftus Vers…
https://von.gov.ng/caf-champions-league-final-mamelodi-sundo…

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web search NEUTRAL — VAR drama taints Mamelodi Sundowns' CAF Champions League final first leg win over AS Far. 15 hours ago. By Leonard Solms.
https://news.google.com/stories/CAAqNggKIjBDQklTSGpvSmMzUnZj…

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web search NEUTRAL — Mamelodi Sundowns moved within an inch of ending their 10-year wait for a second CAF Champions League title on Sunday, beating AS FAR 1-0 in a contentious final first leg at Loftus Versfeld.
https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/48795793/var-drama-tain…

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Claim 14: “excellent, too across both legs for a 2-1 aggregate scoreline.”

CORROBORATED

Combining evidence from the first leg (1-0 win at Loftus Versfeld) and the second leg (1-1 draw in Rabat), the aggregate score is 2-1 in favor of Mamelodi Sundowns.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Jan 8, 2026 · Looking for some excellent WordPress website examples? Here's our top pick of the best WordPress website examples that you should check out for inspiration.
https://www.wpbeginner.com/showcase/excellent-wordpress-webs…

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web search NEUTRAL — Apr 15, 2026 · 23 Best Blog Examples: A Case Study of Successful and Popular Blogs (to Learn from) in 2026 If you’re contemplating launching your own blog and looking for inspiration, you’re in luck. …
https://www.ryrob.com/blog-examples/

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web search NEUTRAL — This page contains reference examples for webpages such as news website; comments on news website pages; webpages with government, organizational, or individual authors; and when to include retrieval …
https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/references…

verified

Claim 15: “their 2016 triumph”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia and multiple news sources (Timeslive, Sowetan, Al Jazeera) explicitly confirm Mamelodi Sundowns won the CAF Champions League in 2016.

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+ 5 more evidence sources

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Claim 16: “Somalian referee Omar Artan’s decsion”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.