Mamelodi Sundowns Battle for Draw but Lose Teboho Mokoena to Injury
Mamelodi Sundowns were forced to settle for a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Angolan side Wiliete SC in their CAF Champions League preliminary round first-leg encounter at the Estadio Nacional da Tundavala on Sunday.
The match began later than scheduled after adverse weather conditions impacted proceedings in Lubango. Ahead of kick-off, Sundowns confirmed that the start of the match had been delayed by 30 minutes due to the risk of lightning, with the game eventually getting underway at 17h30 SAST.
Once play started, the contest quickly developed into a tactical battle. Wiliete SC, backed by a passionate home crowd, defended in numbers and maintained a disciplined shape that made life difficult for the defending African champions.
Despite the hosts’ defensive resilience, Sundowns nearly found an early breakthrough in the fifth minute. Brayan Leon timed his run perfectly to get in behind the defence and aimed for goal, but his effort was dramatically cleared off the line.
The visitors continued to threaten and came close again five minutes later when Teboho Mokoena tested the goalkeeper with a powerful long-range free-kick. Sundowns enjoyed most of the possession, patiently moving the ball around in search of openings as the first half progressed.
A promising opportunity arrived in the 25th minute when Tashreeq Matthews cut inside from the right flank and unleashed a shot on goal. However, the Wiliete goalkeeper reacted well to deny the winger and keep the score level.
Sundowns then suffered a setback late in the first half. Mokoena went down injured in the 39th minute, leading to a lengthy stoppage for treatment. Just a minute later it became clear he would be unable to continue, forcing coach Miguel Cardoso into an early change as Bathusi Aubaas replaced the midfielder in the 42nd minute.
The teams went into the halftime break with the score still locked at 0-0. After the restart, Sundowns continued to dominate possession and territory, circulating the ball confidently while probing for a route through Wiliete SC’s compact defensive setup.
Matthews remained one of the biggest attacking threats for the South African side and nearly broke the deadlock in the 66th minute, but his effort towards the bottom corner lacked enough power and was comfortably collected by the goalkeeper. Sundowns introduced fresh legs shortly afterwards, with Thabo Cele and Siyanda Ndlovu replacing Matthews and Nuno Santos in the 70th minute. Iqraam Rayners and Divine Lunga were also introduced in the 77th minute as the visitors pushed for a crucial away goal.
The pressure continued until the closing stages, and Sundowns almost snatched victory in the 89th minute when Rayners unleashed a right-footed effort from the edge of the box, only to see it drift narrowly wide. In the end, Wiliete SC held firm to earn a goalless draw, while Sundowns will take confidence from their defensive solidity ahead of the return leg as they continue their quest to retain the CAF Champions League crown.