By Kazeem Ajibola Shoyebo
Stade Malien produced a spirited performance in the CAF Champions League quarter‑final second leg on Sunday, defeating Mamelodi Sundowns 2‑0 but failing to overturn a 3‑0 first‑leg deficit as the South African side advanced to the semi‑final on a 3‑2 aggregate scoreline.
The home team fell behind in the opening minute when Taddeus Nkeng struck early, a goal initially ruled out for offside before VAR intervened to confirm the effort. Stade Malien doubled their advantage in the 40th minute through Haman Mandjan, giving the hosts hope of an unlikely comeback.
Though the victory thrilled the crowd at Stade 26 Mars, the stadium was notably not at full capacity, dampening the ambience as fans waited for more goals that would have kept their team’s campaign alive.
Stade Malien dominated early, putting immediate pressure on Sundowns and earning a crucial early lead that swung momentum in their favour. However, despite the encouraging start and a triumphant second goal before halftime, their task, overturning a three‑goal gap from the first leg, proved too steep.
The loss confirmed Mamelodi Sundowns’ progression to the CAF Champions League semi‑finals for the fourth straight season, a continuation of their strong continental showing despite dropping the second‑leg tie.
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