Mamelodi Sundowns suffered a heartbreaking loss to Raja Casablanca in the CAF Champions League, finishing the match with nine men after two players were sent off. Raja Casablanca secured their first group stage win with a late goal, while FAR Rabat consolidated their lead at the top of the table.
Mamelodi Sundowns finished the match with nine men after two players were sent off in a fiery CAF Champions League clash with Raja Casablanca on Saturday. The first red card came late in the first half when Sundowns player was shown a straight red card for a studs-up foul on Younes Najjari. A similar offense 10 minutes from time resulted in Raja Casablanca substitute winger Marouane Zila being sent off.
This was the second Sundowns player to be expelled after he struck forward Nawfel Zerhouni in the face during added time. Raja Casablanca won the match with a goal in the second minute of added time at the end of the first half. Centre-back Benaissa Benamar fired into the net from close range amid appeals for offside. It was the first win in the group stage for three-time former champions Raja Casablanca and the first loss for Mamelodi Sundowns, winners of the premier African club competition in 2016. Meanwhile, group leaders FAR Rabat, the other Moroccan contenders, won 2-0 at home to Maniema Union from the Democratic Republic of Congo in northern city Meknes. Military team FAR, who in 1985 became the first African champions from Morocco, top the table with eight points after four rounds.This victory has opened a path to a top-two finish and a quarter-finals slot for Raja Casablanca, who sacked Portuguese coach Ricardo Sa Pinto after losing away to Mamelodi Sundowns in the previous round. Raja Casablanca will make the knockout stage if they beat FAR next Saturday and Maniema eight days later in the final round. FAR have occupied first place since matchday 1 and a blunder by Maniema goalkeeper Efonge Brudel at the end of the first half helped them stay on top
CAF Champions League Raja Casablanca Mamelodi Sundowns Red Cards FAR Rabat
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