Mamelodi Sundowns and AS FAR have confirmed their starting lineups for the first leg of the CAF Champions League final, scheduled for this afternoon at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.
Miguel Cardoso has named his trusted starting lineup, which is on a mission to finally deliver the CAFCL, a trophy Sundowns last won in 2016, and a trophy Cardoso hasn’t won, having lost two finals back-to-back.
Sundowns have a chance once again today to make a huge step towards their CAFCL title before going to the second leg in Morocco next weekend, while Cardoso is desperate to end the losing streak in the CAFCL finals.
The Portuguese mentor lost the last two finals in 2023/24 when he was at ES Tunis and in 2024/25 in his first season at Sundowns. Leading up to the final, Sundowns finished second in Group C, just behind Sudanese side Al Hilal SC.
In the quarterfinals, they eliminated Stade Malien 3-2 on aggregate before dumping out ES Tunis in the semi-final by 2-0 on aggregate.
AS FAR finished second in Group B, just behind Al Ahly SC, before eliminating defending champions Pyramids FC 3-2 on aggregate in the quarterfinal and booking their semi-final spot by beating their countrymen RS Berkane.
These two sides are facing each other for the third time after playing two draws, both 1-1, in last season’s CAF Champions League Group B clash.
Sundowns Starting XI: Williams (c), Cupido, Mokoena, Mudau, Ndamane, Modiba, Adams, Matthews, Santos, Leon, Letlhaku
Subs: Onyango, Johannes, Saleng, Lunga, Zwane, Mothiba, Mdunyelwa, Allende, Sales
AS FAR Starting XI: Tagnaouti, Bach, Abdelhamid, Loudni, Carneiro, Hrimat, Hadraf, Ait-Ouarkhane, Hammoudah, Slim, El Fahli
Subs: El Khayati, Bouriga, Razko, Khabba, El-Khifyef, Chammakh, El Ebd, Mbemba, Khassou
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