IFOMU yeMamelodi Sundowns emidlalweni yeBetway Premiership kufanele nakanjani ibe yisikhuthazi sayo ekukhipheni amangwevu nasemidlalweni yeCaf Champions League esazoyidlala njengoba isifinyelele kuma-quarterfinal.
ISundowns izotholana phezulu ne-Esperance yaseTunisia, kowomlenze wokuqala wama-quarterfinal eChampions League, ngo-Ephreli 1, eLucas Moripe Stadium, e-Atteridgeville. Owomlenze wesibili uzoba ngo-Ephreli 8, eStade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi, eTunisia.
Ngaphambi kwalo mdlalo weChampions League, iSundowns izoshukana neSekhukhune United kowama-quarterfinal eNedbank Cup eLucas Moripe ngoLwesihlanu ngo-7 ebusuku.
ISundowns isikhonye amasizini ayisikhombisa kwiPremiership inqoba isicoco seligi. Nakule sizini kubukeka isethubeni lokudla esinye isicoco seligi okwehlandla lesishiyagalombili amasizini elandelana. Akubuzwa ukuthi indebe iChampions League yisona kuphela manje isicoco esesidinga ukuphelelisa ubungqwele bayo.
Nakuba leli qembu selike layizuza le ndebe yeChampions League ngo-2016 lisaqeqeshwa nguPitso Mosimane, kodwa selizame amahlandla amaningi ukuthola inkanyezi yesibili kodwa izinto ziliphika.
Ngesizini ka-2018/2019, lehlulwa kowandulela owanqamu, kwaba ngesifanayo nakula masizini amabili edlule okungeka-2022/23 neka-2023/24 ngaphansi kukaRulani Mokwena noManqoba Mngqithi.
Ngesizini edlule iguqiswe yiyo i-Esperance yansondo, le ezobhekana nayo kuma-quarterfinal ngesonto elizayo.
Ukubeka phambili kwabaphathi beSundowns ubumqoka beChampions League, kuhlale obala ngenkathi ilanda umqeqeshi, uMiguel Cardoso, okunguyena obeqeqesha i-Esperance ngesizini edlule, noyibeke kowamanqamu ngokugudluza yona iSundowns endleleni. EzikaCardoso zigcine ziguqiswe yi-Al Ahly ngo 1-0.
Ngakho uCardoso, othathe izintambo ngoDisemba nyakenye kuMngqithi, akungatshazwa ukuthi ulwazi analo nge-Esperance anqobe nayo isicoco seligi yeTunisian Ligue Professionelle 1 ngesizini edlule, yilona amaSandawana agabe ngalo njengoba zizodudulana kowama-quarterfinal.
Lo mqeqeshi ongowokudabuka ePortugal, unenselelo enkulu yokwenza kangcono kunabaqeqeshi beDowns abamandulelayo kwiChampions League njengoba kuyinto eyaziwayo ukuthi ukulandwa kwakhe kuyamene kakhulu nezinhloso zaleli qembu lasePitoli lokuzuza inkanyezi yesibili yalo mqhudelwano wase-Afrika ohlonishwayo.
Ngakho kukulo mdlalo wezakhe ne-Esperance lapho okubhekwe khona kakhulu ubungcweti namasu akhe ukuliqumba phansi leli qembu lakhe elidala, adlulele emzuliswaneni olandelayo namaSandawana.