By SCM Sport Correspondent
SOUTH AFRICAN GIANTS Mamelodi Sundowns took a massive, albeit slender, step toward continental immortality as Bafana Bafana international Aubrey Modiba stole the show under the lights of Pretoria.
A breathtaking 1-0 victory over Moroccan heavyweights AS FAR Rabat in the first leg of the CAF Champions League final proved that big games belong to big-game players.
On an evening that threatened to be derailed by an extraordinary technical farce involving the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), it was Modiba’s glittering star power that outshone the chaos at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium.
The Brazilians came into the match heavily burdened by last season’s heartbreak in the final, but Miguel Cardoso’s star-studded outfit looked single-minded from the opening whistle. All eyes were on the returning Modiba, who missing prior continental action, was thrust straight back into the spotlight.He did not disappoint.
In a cagey, high-stakes first half where space was at an absolute premium, it required a moment of pure, unadulterated genius to shatter the deadlock. That moment arrived in the 37th minute.
When Tashreeq Matthews won a free-kick roughly 30 yards out, FAR Rabat’s defensive wall braced for impact. Up stepped Modiba.
With the confidence of a seasoned maestro, the left-footed wizard curled an absolute masterpiece past the desperate, outstretched arms of Moroccan goalkeeper Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti.
The ball kissed the bottom left corner, sending the home support into raptures and cementing Modiba’s status as the undisputed star of the match.
”Aubrey has that magical quality,” an ecstatic home fan shouted over the post-match din. “When the pressure is at its highest, the stars always deliver.”
If the first half belonged to footballing brilliance, the start of the second half belonged to pure tech-drama. Play was heavily delayed for roughly 20 minutes when the entire VAR system suffered a total power failure.
While Sundowns’ stars were eager to get back to business, the Moroccan contingent fiercely protested, threatening a standoff. Eventually, common sense prevailed, and the final bizarrely resumed the old-fashioned way—completely without VAR.
The disruption failed to cool the red-hot intensity of the hosts’ key performers. Midfield maestro Teboho Mokoena pulled the strings beautifully throughout the second period, keeping FAR Rabat on the back foot.
Mokoena so nearly turned from playmaker to goalscorer late on, unleashing a ferocious free-kick five minutes from time that rattled the woodwork.
While forward Brayan León uncharacteristically squandered a brace of golden opportunities to put the tie to bed, Sundowns’ defensive stars ensured the wastefulness wouldn’t be punished.
The central defensive partnership of Khulumani Ndamane and the heroic Keanu Cupido—who miraculously recovered from a broken arm suffered just two weeks ago—put on an absolute masterclass.
Alongside right-back Khuliso Mudau, they utterly suffocated FAR Rabat’s dangerous forward Youssef El Fahli, ensuring South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams had one of the quietest nights of his career.
There was a late scare for the hosts when Modiba limped off with an injury in the 76th minute, replaced by Divine Lunga. However, the damage to Rabat had already been done.
The 1-0 scoreline gives Mamelodi Sundowns a vital, clean-sheet advantage as they chase their second-ever CAF Champions League crown.
But with a hostile return leg waiting for them in Rabat next weekend, Cardoso’s star men will need to find this glittering form all over again to hoist the ultimate African prize.
