With the final in sight, Mamelodi Sundowns and AS FAR Rabat have taken significant steps toward the showpiece event, leaving their opponents with mountains to climb in the return legs.
Sundowns Silence the "Blood and Gold" in Rades
In what was billed as a clash of titans, South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns secured a historic 1-0 away victory against Esperance de Tunis at the Hammadi Agrebi Stadium on Sunday night.
The "Brazilians" displayed immense tactical discipline, weathering a first-half storm where Esperance’s Florian Danho rattled the crossbar. The breakthrough came in the 51st minute when Colombian forward Brayan Leon clinical header silenced the Tunisian crowd. Despite a late red card for defender Grant Kekana, Sundowns held firm to take a precious away goal and a clean sheet back to Pretoria.
AS FAR Rabat Dominates Moroccan Derby
On Saturday, the city of Rabat bore witness to an intense all-Moroccan affair as AS FAR hosted RS Berkane. The hosts proved too strong for the "Orange Boys," securing a 2-0 victory that puts them in the driver’s seat.
* Ahmed Hammoudan broke the deadlock in the 58th minute.
* Ait Ouarkhane doubled the lead in the 80th minute, ensuring a comfortable cushion.
RS Berkane, known for their continental resilience, will need a monumental performance in the second leg to overturn this deficit.
At a Glance: Semi-Final First Leg Scores
> Esperance de Tunis (TUN) 0 - 1 Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA) > Scorer: Brayan Leon 51’
> AS FAR Rabat (MAR) 2 - 0 RS Berkane (MAR) > Scorers: Hammoudan 58’, Ait Ouarkhane 80’
What’s Next? The Road to the Final
The second-leg fixtures are set for Saturday, April 18, 2026. Mamelodi Sundowns will look to finish the job at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium, while RS Berkane faces the daunting task of breaching AS FAR's defense twice just to level the aggregate score.