Mamelodi Sundowns and Marumo Gallants have learnt of their CAF opponents after the draw for the last eight that took place in Cairo, Egypt, on Wednesday night.
Marumo Gallants will play Egypt’s Pyramids in the CAF Confederation Cup after an incredible run in the competition. Pyramids are home to former Cape Town City and Bafana Bafana forward Fagray Lakay.
SUNDOWNS MEET ALGERIAN SIDE
Sundowns will meet Algeria’s CR Belouizdad who have previously proven to be tricky customers. The two teams last met in April 2021 in the group stage of the same competition.
The Algerians won 2-0 at Loftus Versfeld in what was the last time Sundowns lost at home in the Champions League.
Two months prior to that, the Brazilians had emphatically beaten Belouizdad 5-1 at the neutral Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Uganda.
Belouizdad finished just a point below Group D leaders Esperance, and their campaign included two defeats, with one coming at home against the Tunisian giants.
Masandawana’s last visit to Algeria was when they spent the 2019 Christmas Day in Algiers, where they visited USM Alger and won 1-0.
DOWNS AVOID AFRICAN POWERHOUSES
Defending champions Wydad Athletic Club will take on Simba SC of Tanzania in the quarter-finals. Egypt’s Al Ahly, the last team to qualify, will be playing against Raja Casablanca in a North African duel.
The Brazilians concluded their group campaign with a 2-1 win over Cameroon’s Coton Sport. Saturday’s result meant they were unbeaten in the group stages of the competition, in which they stunned Egypt’s Al Ahly 5-2 in Pretoria.
Going into the draw as group toppers, meant they would not meet teams that came out tops in the other groups.
Masandawana avoided Morocco giants Wydad Casablanca, Raja Casablanca and Tunisia powerhouse Esperance.
Meanwhile, in the other CAF Confederation Cup last eight clashes US Monastir of Tunisia face Ivory Coast’s ASEC Mimosas. Algeria’s USM Alger takes on AS FAR of Morocco. Nigeria’s Rivers United will lock horns with Tanzania giants Young Africans.
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