Seydou Keita (Sky Sports)
Seydou Keita walked into the fields of Prince Moulay Abdellah stadium with the CAF Champions League trophy in his arms. The ‘Malian Diamond’ presented this coveted prize under starlit skies ahead of a ‘tense war’ in Rabat.
In recent weeks, the “Black Army” of AS FAR had been in hot water with the National Professional Football League’s Disciplinary Committee due to crowd misdemeanours. Despite a $100,000 fine for incidents during the first leg in Loftus, the Moroccan club was given security clearance to host a full-capacity crowd.
With fan bans officially lifted, local supporters filled up the north end of the 69,500 capacity seater. Loud whistles and cheers created a hostile environment for their visitors from the Southern hemisphere of the continent. More than 5,000 Masandawana fans made the 11,000km trip to the North African Kingdom in search of a second star.
Miguel Cardoso’s team of stars were fuelled by the deep commitment of their supporters who carried inside them the painful loss of their Betway Premiership title.
The Yellow Nation arrived on the grounds of a team who had lost at home just three times in 29 matches since 2005. Despite losing their first-leg goal scorer to a hamstring strain, Aubrey Modiba’s free-kick masterclass at Loftus remained a symbol of hope.
In the first 15 minutes of the final, the home team started the brighter of the sides. Their relentless pressure finally paid off in the 40th minute after defender Divine Lunga fouled winger Reda Slim in the box. Mohamed Rabie Hrimat stepped up to convert the penalty for a goal that the Moroccan club desperately needed.
With the tie level at 1-1 on aggregate, a wave of optimism swept through the Rabat night air. However, local fans were brought crashing back down to earth when Teboho Mokoena smashed home a lethal shot in first-half stoppage time. This felt like a dagger through the hearts of the home supporters as it meant their beloved team now faced the uphill battle of scoring two more goals to win the prestigious tournament.
The task seemed possible in the 72nd minute when a second penalty was awarded to the home team after goalkeeper Ronwen Williams collided with Youssef El Fahli. Williams then produced the save of the match, denying Hrimat’s second spot-kick to keep Sundowns’ second star dreams alive.
Fans were seen leaving the stadium in frustration.
Despite AS FAR’s fight to the dying minutes of the game, the empty seats, ultimately, demoralised the 13-time Botola Pro Champions.
It was certainly written in the stars for Masandawana to secure their second star under Rabat skies. It was amazing to see the joy on the face of Miguel Cardoso who won the tournament after losing the two previous finals. Themba Zwane who was a key member of the squad that defeated Zamalek in 2016 to win the club’s first ever star could not stop smiling. Club captain, Ronwen Williams hoisted up the Champions League trophy in the midst of a massive explosion of gold confetti & fireworks.
The long-awaited continental triumph was a reward for years of sacrifice, heartbreak and a relentless pursuit of excellence. The win fulfils a decade-long ambition to return to the summit of African football.
