Sundowns To Face CAF Champions League Surprise Side Stade Malien (FULL FIXTURES)

Former winners Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa were paired with surprise packages Stade Malien of Mali when the CAF Champions League quarter-finals and semi-finals draws were made in Cairo on Tuesday.

Defending champions Pyramids of Egypt face FAR Rabat of Morocco in a repeat of a last-eight clash last season.

The other Egyptian contenders and title favourites, record 12-time champions Al Ahly, resume a decades-old rivalry with Esperance of Tunisia.

Debutants Renaissance Berkane of Morocco will meet Al Hilal of Sudan, who are competing in the premier African club competition a record 39th time.

The quarter-finals are scheduled for March, the semi-finals for April, and the final for May.

After 19 failed attempts to reach the group stage, Malien finally succeeded this season, then topped a section where four-time champions Esperance were expected to win.

Sundowns went four group matches without a victory before securing a passage to the knockout stage thanks to a brace from Colombian Brayan Leon in a final-round win over Mouloudia Alger of Algeria.

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Pyramids won the Champions League last season in only their second appearance and boast the most impressive record this season of the contenders — eight wins and two draws.

They have impressed despite a loss of form by Congolese striker Mahmoud Mayele, the leading scorer in the Champions League last season with nine goals. He failed to score in six group matches.

Former Aston Villa striker Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan has netted five times for Ahly in this African campaign, and the Cairo Red Devils are the other challengers with an unbeaten record.

After winning only two of six mini-league matches, Esperance fired coach Maher Kanzari, and French tactician Patrice Beaumelle is set to take his place.

Hilal will host the second leg against three-time CAF Confederation Cup winners Berkane in Rwanda due to the civil war in Sudan.

Berkane have found the step up to the Champions League challenging. They are the only contenders who lost two group games and conceded 10 goals, the most of any survivor.

Renaissance Berkane (MAR) v Al Hilal (SUD)

Esperance (TUN) v Al Ahly (EGY)

Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA) v Stade Malien (MLI)

FAR Rabat (MAR) v Pyramids (EGY, holders)

1st legs: March 13-14, 2nd legs: March 20-21

Semi-finals

Esperance or Ahly v Sundowns or Malien

FAR or Pyramids v Berkane or Hilal

1st legs: April 10-11, 2nd legs: April 17-18

Final

1st leg: May 15, 2nd leg: May 24

AFP