Three Goals, Seven Points: Sundowns Ladies Book Their Place in CAFWCL Last Four

Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies have booked their place in the semi-finals of the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League after securing a convincing 3-0 victory over Moroccan outfit FUS Rabat at Ismailia Stadium in Egypt on Saturday afternoon.

The South African side delivered an impressive performance to collect their second victory of the tournament and finish their Group A campaign at the top of the standings. Godfrey Sapula’s team accumulated seven points from three matches, recording two wins and one draw to progress to the knockout stages.

Sundowns Ladies went into the match knowing that a positive result would be important for their ambitions in the competition. They responded by showing their attacking intentions from the opening minutes and putting the FUS Rabat defence under pressure.

Boitumelo Rabale was among the first players to threaten the opposition goal. The forward had an opportunity to open the scoring in the fifth minute, but her effort was denied by the Moroccan goalkeeper.

Rabale continued looking for a breakthrough and created another opportunity just two minutes later. However, the FUS Rabat shot-stopper was once again equal to the challenge, keeping the score level at 0-0.

Despite those missed opportunities, Sundowns Ladies maintained their attacking approach and eventually found the opening goal through Bambanani Mbane.

The defender made the difference with a header that went off the post before crossing the goal line to give Banyana Ba Style a deserved 1-0 advantage. The goal rewarded the South African team’s positive start and gave them something to protect for the remainder of the first half.

FUS Rabat attempted to respond before the break and created a dangerous opportunity in the 40th minute. However, Sundowns goalkeeper Andile Dlamini produced an important save in a one-on-one situation to prevent the Moroccan side from equalising.

Her intervention ensured that Sundowns Ladies went into half-time with their advantage still intact.

After the restart, Sapula’s players continued working towards extending their lead and securing all three points. Although the second goal took some time to arrive, the South African champions remained focused on completing the job.

Their efforts eventually paid off in the 86th minute when Nthabiseng Majiya produced an excellent finish to make it 2-0. The goal gave Sundowns Ladies breathing room and put them in a strong position to secure victory.

There was still another opportunity for the South African side to increase their advantage before the final whistle. Karabo Dhlamini converted from the penalty spot in the 90th minute to complete the 3-0 victory.

The result confirms Sundowns Ladies’ qualification for the semi-finals, where they will continue their pursuit of another continental title.

Having already won the CAF Women’s Champions League twice, Banyana Ba Style will be determined to add a third trophy to their collection. Their ability to finish the group stage unbeaten with seven points provides encouragement as they prepare for the more demanding knockout phase.

For Sapula, the focus will now be on preparing his players for the semi-final challenge as Sundowns Ladies look to maintain their position among the leading teams in African women’s football.

Matlokwa feedback-opera-news-app@opera.com