Rulani’s Revenge: Former Sundowns Boss Rulani Deals Massive Blow to Masandawana’s Dominance

Rulani’s Pyramids Close In on Sundowns as Africa’s No.1 Club After Champions League Shock

Mamelodi Sundowns have retained their position as Africa’s highest-ranked football club despite their shocking elimination from the CAF Champions League, but former coach Rulani Mokwena’s Pyramids FC are closing the gap on the South African giants.

According to the latest FootballDatabase African club rankings, Sundowns remain at the top of the continent with 1,694 points. However, Pyramids, who are coached by Mokwena, sit second with 1,675 points, leaving just 19 points between the two clubs in the latest published standings.

The development has attracted attention among South African football supporters, particularly because Mokwena previously played a significant role in Sundowns’ success before moving to Egypt.

The former Masandawana coach is now building his reputation with Pyramids, and his team’s latest performances suggest they could challenge for the top position in African club football.

Sundowns’ continued presence at the summit demonstrates that their achievements over recent seasons still carry considerable weight in the rankings. Nevertheless, their latest continental disappointment has raised questions about their ability to maintain their dominance.

The Brazilians suffered a shock exit from the CAF Champions League after being eliminated by Angola’s Wiliete SC in the second preliminary round.

Following a goalless draw in the first leg in Angola, the return match in Pretoria ended 1-1. Wiliete progressed on the away-goals rule, bringing Sundowns’ hopes of defending their continental crown to an unexpected end.

For a club that has established itself among Africa’s leading sides, the elimination represented a major setback.

Meanwhile, Pyramids have enjoyed a positive start under Mokwena. The Egyptian outfit secured qualification for the 2026/27 CAF Champions League group stage after defeating El Merriekh Bentiu 4-0 in the return leg, completing a convincing 5-0 aggregate victory.

The result extended Mokwena’s winning run with the Egyptian champions and strengthened expectations surrounding their continental campaign.

Pyramids will now have another opportunity to collect valuable ranking points when the group-stage matches begin.

Egyptian giants Al Ahly also remain in contention, occupying third position with 1,651 points, according to FootballDatabase. This means Sundowns face pressure from two formidable Egyptian clubs as the African football season progresses.

Despite the setback, Sundowns remain a major force on the continent. However, their position is no longer as comfortable as it once appeared.

With Mokwena’s Pyramids continuing to make progress, the race for Africa’s number-one club ranking could become increasingly competitive.

For South African football supporters, the big question is whether Sundowns can recover from their Champions League disappointment or watch their former coach’s team close the gap even further.

Source https://x.com/KickOffMagazine/status/2114673540754559262

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