Sundowns survive a Beninese battlefield to crawl into CAF Champions League semi-finals | News24
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“Every member of Mamelodi Sundowns team – and their passionate fanbase across the country and continent – breathed a sigh of relief as the final whistle pierced the Bamako air, signalling the end of a tense CAF Champions League quarter-final second leg against Stade Malien.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence in archive to confirm or refute details about the match location or outcome.
“Msandawana arrived in Mali carrying the comfort of a commanding 3–0 first-leg advantage in Pretoria just last week.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence in archive to verify the 3-0 first-leg scoreline or timeline.
“Stade Malien pushed, pressed and probed for the full 90 minutes, surging to a 2–0 victory that rattled Miguel Cardoso’s side and tested their resolve.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence in archive to confirm the 2-0 second-leg result or match details.
“Sundowns have made a dramatic turnaround in the competition, where they were on the brink of elimination from the group stage, needing a win in the final game against their former head coach Rulani Mokwena, who at the time was the boss of MC Alger before his exit earlier this month.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence in archive to verify group stage elimination context or MC Alger match.
“Sundowns overcame the challenge with a 2-0 win at Loftus Versfeld to finish runners-up behind Al Hilal and grafted hard against the Mali top-flight champions who topped their group ahead of Esperance, Petro Atletico and Simba SC.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence in archive to confirm group finishing position or team comparisons.
“Just a half-hour before kick-off, their Betway Premiership rivals Orlando Pirates had surged ahead of them on the log by a point with a resounding 6-0 victory over TS Galaxy.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence in archive to verify league table positions or Orlando Pirates' result.
“Inside the opening minute, Taddeus Nkeng struck to hand the hosts an early lead, catching Sundowns cold and momentarily rattling their composure.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence in archive to confirm goal timing or Taddeus Nkeng's involvement.
“MHaman Mandjan thought he had doubled the advantage, only for VAR to intervene and rule the effort offside – a let-off that Sundowns gratefully accepted.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence in archive to verify VAR decision or Maman Mandjan's goal.
“However, the reprieve was short-lived as Mandjan eventually found the net soon after, leaving the South African side with a mountain to climb heading into the break.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence in archive to confirm Mandjan's goal or match progression.
“Their task grew even more complicated when Aubrey Modiba was sent off with 15 minutes remaining, forcing them to navigate the closing stages with 10 men.”
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INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
— No evidence in archive to verify Aubrey Modiba's red card details.
“Next up, Sundowns face a stern challenge against Espérance Sportive de Tunis in the semi-final.”
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“Attention will soon shift back to domestic matters after the international break, with Sundowns set to resume their league campaign away to Durban City FC on 7 April –but for now, survival in Mali keeps their continental dream alive.”
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“Cardoso is no stranger to this stage, having previously reached the final with the Tunisian giants before guiding Sundowns deep into the tournament last season as well – and now stands on the brink of a third consecutive campaign among Africa’s elite.”
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