PRETORIA -- Mamelodi Sundowns moved within an inch of ending their 10-year wait for a second CAF Champions League title on Sunday, beating AS FAR 1-0 in a contentious final first leg at Loftus Versfeld.
The match was overshadowed by a delay to the start of the second half due to a breakdown in the functioning of VAR, as well as police firing spray canisters at AS Far supporters in the stands.
Aubrey Modiba's free-kick gave Sundowns a narrow lead heading into the second leg in Rabat on May 24. Crucially, Sundowns prevented an AS FAR away goal, but missed several chances to give themselves breathing space.
There was also significant controversy before a ball was kicked over the refereeing appointment of Jean-Jacques Ndala. The Congolese man in the middle had presided over the controversial Africa Cup of Nations final four months ago, won initially by Senegal and then handed to Morocco retrospectively on appeal - a decision which the Lions of Teranga are challenging in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
That fixture in Rabat saw Senegal walk off the pitch in protest at his team's officiating team only to return, with Édouard Mendy saving the penalty which had sparked the boycott idea. Senegal emerged victorious on the pitch in extra time - with their walk-off later having been found to have breached tournament rules, despite Ndala having allowed it in the moment.
On this occasion in Pretoria, Ndala's officiating team was once again at the centre of controversy. With the teams taking the field for the second half, Ndala made the VAR signal before crossing his arms in an indication that there were technological issues that needed review.
At 17:23 CAT - over 20 minutes after the second half was due to kick off - the match finally restarted, but without VAR.
By then, Sundowns held their 1-0 lead, and they had dominated the first half almost from start to finish. In the second minute of the match, Khulumani Ndamane's beautiful left-footed pass parted the AS FAR defence to create the first real chance of the game.
Tashreeq Matthews was sent through on goal, but a brilliant sliding recovery tackle from Marouane Louadni prevented him from pulling the trigger despite having timed his run perfectly.
AS FAR had an opportunity at the other end minutes later, but fired off target. Sundowns controlled the tempo early on by and large, with Brayan León going for goal twice in quick succession shortly before the 20-minute mark.
One shot - a flick from a cross after a brave tackle from Cupido had initiated a counter-attack - went off target. The subsequent effort from the Colombian striker was blocked. At the other end, AS FAR had an attempt shortly afterwards, firing over the target.
Alexandre Santos' side began to gain confidence, with another attempt following shortly. Youssef Al-Fahli chopped inside off AS FAR's right flank and fired off target from long range in the 25th minute.
In the 32nd minute, Sundowns had the clearest opportunity of the game up until that point. Left-back Modiba pushed upfield and whipped in a delightful trademark cross from the flank for León - whose touch on the stretch was too light to divert the ball on target. If he had connected more cleanly, AS FAR goalkeeper Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti could have done little to stop him from breaking the deadlock.
It only took five minutes later before Modiba was at the heart of another moment of magic - and this time, Tagnaouti was soundly beaten. The goalkeeper's faint touch was unable to stop a free-kick destined for the top corner from the moment it left Modiba's boot a few yards outside the box.
When the match restarted without VAR following the lengthy delay due to technological issues involving it, Sundowns almost played themselves into trouble, gifting the ball away at the back eight minutes after the restart after attempting to play out from the back. They were let off the hook, with the subsequent long-range effort going off target.
Sundowns then created two chances in quick succession immediately afterwards. One was an unmemorable effort from a corner which went off target. However, the second saw a beautiful cutback from León in the box before the Colombian striker fired inches over the bar.
Two clearer chances for León followed. He was slipped through on goal in the 61st minute, but Tagnaouti made a superb save to deny him. In the 62nd, he had only himself to blame as Matthews played him in but he rolled the ball off target.
In the 63rd minute, Tagnaouti came to the rescue again. This time, it was Letlhaku who was denied after some intricate passing on the edge of the box after Sundowns had won the ball to set up an opportunity for the winger inside the penalty area.
Sundowns continued to dictate the tempo, but struggled to convert it into goals as Matthews fired into the side-netting in the 71st minute.
Police, equipped with riot shields, and security had to attend to a corner of the stadium where AS FAR supporters were camped in the second half as tensions escalated with objects flying. However, the match itself did not suffer any further disruptions.
Tagnaouti was almost beaten by a second free-kick in the 84th minute, with Mokoena beating the wall, but hitting the post.
Cardoso became increasingly animated on the touchline in the final minutes as Sundowns preserved their lead by keeping the ball, but after losing the 2023-24 final to Al Ahly with Espérance and last season's final to Pyramids with Sundowns, his tactics worked to a tee in the first leg on this occasion.
If nothing changes in the second leg, it will be a case of third time lucky for the Portuguese tactician against Santos, his compatriot.
