Mamelodi Sundowns to face FAR Rabat in CAF Champions League final
via The Namibian3 min read
Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa will play FAR Rabat of Morocco in the CAF Champions League final after both teams secured their spots on Saturday. Sundowns advanced by defeating Esperance of Tunisia 1-0 in the semi-final second leg, with Colombian Brayan Leon scoring the decisive goal in the 35th minute. This secured a 2-0 aggregate victory for Sundowns, with Leon also scoring the only goal in the first leg. Meanwhile, FAR Rabat lost 1-0 away to Renaissance Berkane in an all-Moroccan encounter, but still qualified 2-1 on aggregate. Yassine Labhiri converted a 57th-minute penalty for Berkane after a six-minute VAR review. Both finalists have previously won the African title once; FAR in 1985 and Sundowns in 2016. The first leg of the final will be held in Pretoria on May 15, with the return match in Rabat on May 24. The final will feature a matchup between Portuguese coaches, with Miguel Cardoso leading Sundowns and Alexandre Santos guiding FAR. Cardoso will be making his third consecutive Champions League final appearance.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
Real Sociedad defeated Atletico Madrid 4-3 on penalties to secure their fourth Copa del Rey title after a 2-2 draw in Seville. Real Sociedad took an early lead through Ander Barrenetxea, but Ademola Lookman equalized for Atletico. Mikel Oyarzabal then put Real Sociedad ahead from the penalty spot before halftime. Julian Alvarez scored for Atletico to force extra time and ultimately penalties. In the shootout, Real Sociedad goalkeeper Unai Marrero saved two penalties, and Pablo Marin converted the winning kick. Atletico Madrid, who are Champions League semi-finalists, were left to reflect on missed opportunities. Atletico captain Koke acknowledged the defeat, stating that the team had to "row against the current from the start" and congratulated Real Sociedad. The match saw the fastest goal in a Copa del Rey final, scored by Barrenetxea after just 14 seconds. Antoine Griezmann, who is set to leave Atletico for MLS side Orlando City, was involved in some of Atletico's attacking plays. Atletico goalkeeper Juan Musso, who started ahead of Jan Oblak, conceded a penalty that led to Real Sociedad's second goal. Despite creating chances in extra time, neither team could find a winner before the penalty shootout.
Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal is capable of defeating Manchester City in the Premier League title race. Arsenal currently holds a six-point lead but has played one more game than City. Despite a recent dip in form, Arteta is focusing on the positives as they aim to end a 22-year title drought. He stated, "We are exactly where we want to be and there have been a lot of positive things and I don't see anything that has to hold you back." Manchester City, by contrast, has been in strong form, with manager Pep Guardiola emphasizing the need for his team to avoid errors in their pursuit of a seventh league title in 10 seasons.
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Orlando Pirates have moved back to the top of the South African Premiership after a 3-0 victory over AmaZulu in Soweto. The Buccaneers now have 58 points with five matches remaining, two points ahead of Mamelodi Sundowns, who have two games in hand and are pursuing a ninth consecutive title. While Pirates secured their win, Sundowns qualified for the CAF Champions League final by defeating Esperance of Tunisia. Pirates, aiming for their first Premiership title since 2012, and Sundowns have been the leading contenders throughout the 30-round season. Relebohile Mofokeng, a potential 2026 World Cup squad member, scored Pirates' third goal from outside the area, bringing his league tally to 10 goals for the season. His transformation into a regular scorer followed Moroccan coach Abdeslam Ouaddou's decision to move him from winger to central midfielder. Yanela Mbuthuma opened the scoring for Pirates in the 14th minute, and Oswin Appollis doubled the lead with a long-range shot in first-half added time. Kaizer Chiefs solidified their third-place position and CAF Confederation Cup qualification spot with a 0-0 draw against Polokwane City, reaching 46 points. Their closest rivals for a top-three finish, AmaZulu and Sekhukhune United, both lost, with Sekhukhune falling 3-1 to Stellenbosch. Junior Dion of Golden Arrows scored in his team's 2-1 victory over Orbit College, who are second-last in the league.