By Micheal Madyira
A lot is at stake for Mamelodi Sundowns in this season’s CAF Champions League campaign with not only the continental title to play for.
The Brazilians have reached the Champions League semi-finals after narrowly seeing off the challenge of Young Africans last Friday.
It was a closely contested match which left Masandawana needing a penalty shootout to sneak through into the last four following a 0-0 aggregate scoreline.
Despite having it difficult to secure passage into the semi-finals, Sundowns are still on course to qualify for the 2025 Fifa Club World Cup.
Already, CAF teams Al Ahly and Wydad Casablanca are confirmed as participants of the expanded World Cup due to their exploits in recent seasons.
CAF is expected to provide two other teams, to make it four African teams in total, at the tournament to be hosted by the United States from 15 June to 13 July 2025.
Winners of the ongoing Champions League are also guaranteed a place at the Club World Cup while the fourth team will be the highest-ranked team other than the three automatic qualifiers.
That leaves Masandawana still left with two options to return to the global tournament where they last participated in 2016.
They could qualify through the route of becoming African champions or being the highest-ranked team outside Al Ahly, Wydad and the next Champions League winners should they fail to win this season’s competition.
The pathway to the Champions League final appears difficult for the Brazilians who now meet Esperance in the semi-finals.
Title holders Al Ahly and five-time champions TP Mazembe will meet in the other last-four pairing.
The semi-final first leg will be played on the weekend of 19 to 20 April 2024 and the return leg is scheduled for 26 to 27 April.
Pictured above: Mamelodi Sundowns defender Divine Lunga heads the ball to safety under the challenge of a Young Africans player
Image source: Mamelodi Sundowns
