Miguel Cardoso is aiming for a turnaround this year © Mamelodi Sundowns
Loftus Versfeld Stadium was packed to its 51,000 capacity for the first leg of the 2026 CAF Champions League final.
The ‘Yellow Nation’ turned their home base into an intimidating sea of gold for this high-intensity showdown with Morocco’s most successful club side.
Mamelodi Sundowns have reached the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League seven times in their history and only won this prestigious competition once, so this search for a ‘second star’ means everything.
Miguel Cardoso has suffered heartbreak in two consecutive CAF Champions League finals as a manager, losing both in 2024 and 2025. The Portuguese tactician will be hoping the third time’s a charm! Unfortunately, history doesn’t remember runners-up medals; it remembers winners.
His compatriot and opposing coach, Alexandre Santos, rebuilt AS FAR’s squad with the arrival of eight new players ahead of the 2025-26 season. His investment has certainly paid off. In their run to the 2026 final, the team recorded 7 wins, 5 draws, and 2 losses across 14 matches. They are one of only three Moroccan clubs to reach a Champions League final, alongside Raja Casablanca and Wydad Casablanca.
AS FAR defeated AS Bilima (DR Congo) 6–3 on aggregate to secure their only title to date.
41 years later…. continental glory is certainly overdue.
With so much at stake, Aubrey Modiba executed a spectacular 37th-minute free-kick to make the home crowd erupt in elation. They nearly pulled off another one when Teboho Mokoena struck the post with a long-range free-kick in the 86th minute.
The VAR system malfunction that led to a delay of over 20 minutes before the start of the second half was reminiscent of the notorious 2019 final where a similar technical issue caused Wydad Casablanca to refuse to play. After intense negotiations and a significant wait, both teams eventually agreed to proceed without VAR for the remainder of the match to preserve the competition’s image.
AS FAR’s attack was as faulty as the VAR facilities on the day! Alexandre Santos’s men failed to register a single shot on target over 90 minutes.
Despite dominating possession (71%) and creating several clear-cut chances—including missed one-on-one opportunities by Brayan Léon and Kutlwano Letlhaku—Sundowns struggled to get another goal.
The Brazilians missed a plethora of chances but still managed to secure a 1–0 victory, but is one goal going to be enough?
The Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on the 24th of May is where the new kings of African club football will be crowned. Hopefully, everyone comes with their shooting boots this time.
Will AS FAR replicate the continental glory of 1985?
Will the stars align for the Moroccan club, or will Sundowns grab their second star?
Get your popcorn ready; the drama will soon unfold.
