African Derby Showdown in the African Football League

DStv Premiership champions Mamelodi Sundowns will welcome Egyptian giants Al Ahly in the first leg of the semi-finals of the inaugural African Football League 2023. The game termed African Derby will take place on Sunday 29 October 2023 at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, with a kick-off set for 3 pm.

ALSO READ: Kaizer Chiefs announce another new signing

The 13-time DSTV PSL winners Sundowns come to this match after defeating Angolan side Pedro de Luanda 2-0 on aggregate score in the quarter-final stage. Goals from Marcelo Allende and Thapelo Maseko in the first leg ensured Masandawana booked a ticket to the semis against their traditional rivals Al Ahly from North of Africa.

The 11-time CAF Champions League winner Al Ahly knocked out Tanzanian side Simba SC by an away goal after the two-legged tie ended in a 3-all draw.

Sundowns coach Rhulani Mokoena said playing Al Ahly is always interesting and they are looking forward to the game. He said, according to the Sundowns website: “An Al Ahly fixture is always interesting. They have got really good players. I have watched a little bit of their away game in Tanzania where they drew 2-2 against Simba SC. It should be an interesting game and one that pitches two very good teams. We will do our best to try to win this game.”

MAMELODI SUNDOWNS SET FOR AFRICAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE DERBY

Former Brazilians captain Hlompho Kekana also told the Sundowns YouTube channel that they are looking to cause an upset. He said: “I think it will be an interesting encounter. This team knows Sundowns very well. I don’t think they wanted to meet them (Sundowns) now (in the semis). I think they feel like it is too early for them to meet Mamelodi Sundowns.

“We will give them a little bit of respect. But my boys will have to do the business at the end of the day. We have played them many times and succeeded here and there. So now is payback time. What I like about this payback time is that I am not a part of it. I am sending people to do the business for us. They are also a big team.”

FREE ENTANCE AT LOFTUS FOR THE AL AL AHLY CLASH

As before, Sundowns will allow their fans a free entry into the stadium. Only fans wearing yellow or team colors will be given a free ticket to watch the game.

The MTN 8 finalists played Al Ahly 12 times since 2007. The Tshwane-based side won four games and drew four, with Al Ahly winning the other four games. The last time the two giants met, Sundowns won 5-2 convincingly in March 2023 in the Champions League group stage.

Although Sundowns was knocked out of the Champions League in the semi-final against Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca, Al Ahly went on to win the competition against the same opposition.

The winner between the two giants in the two-legged semi-final will meet either Esperance of Tunisia or Wydad. The two-legged final of the AFL will be played on the 5th and 11th of November 2023.

The African Football League, otherwise known as the AFL, is an annual continental club football competition run by the CAF that kicked off in October 2023. It was announced on 28 November 2019 by Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA. The competition was initially launched as the Africa Super League on 10 August 2022 and was to include twenty-four elite African clubs with a promotion/relegation system, but was scaled down to eight teams for its inaugural campaign. It will run alongside CAF’s other main club competition, the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup, and will not be a replacement for it.

By Ronald DK Nchabeleng