Mamelodi Sundowns avoid giants: Why Stade Malien are a CAF Champions League 'banana skin'

Mamelodi Sundowns got the draw they would have wanted after being pitted against Stade Malien in the quarter-finals of the CAF Champions League.

Granted, there are no easy matches at this level of continental football, but the Brazilians will agree that a clash with a Malian outfit new to the business end of Africa’s premier knockout competition is a much better proposition than facing former champions. Sundowns avoided a tough trip to Egypt for a clash against record champions Al Ahly or their conquerors in last year’s final, Pyramids FC.

Malien were the surprise package of this year’s competition, having qualified for the group phase for the first time in 19 attempts. Runners-up in the inaugural year of the competition for African champion clubs way back in 1965 — when they lost 2–1 to Oryx Douala — Malien have hardly featured on the continent since then.

However, they reached the group stages this year and punched well above their weight to top their group ahead of Esperance, whom they held in Tunis and beat in Bamako. That should serve as a warning for Sundowns of the potential banana skin standing in their way of a semi-final clash against either Esperance or Al Ahly — teams they beat last season.

Former Sundowns captain Hlompho Kekana, who wore the armband when the club were crowned African champions in 2016, says every opposition has to be treated with respect.

“In the Champions League, you can't choose your opponent; whoever comes your way you have to tackle — especially when you are Sundowns with big ambitions of winning the competition.”

Kekana said he was happy with the draw in that Sundowns have drawn a team they can research and prepare for appropriately. He believes the victory over MC Alger in the final group match, when the Brazilians had their backs against the wall, will have imbued the team with the confidence to deal with whatever comes their way.

“I think the win (over MC Alger) has to give the team that special motivation to say, after winning such a difficult match, we can go into the knockout stage with the same drive to say whoever comes our way, we eliminate. But it will be a very big challenge,” he said, highlighting Malien’s progress to the knockout stage ahead of the revered Esperance and Petro Luanda of Angola.

“This year they (Malien) showed how big they are in terms of participation. They won their group ahead of Esperance as well as that team from Angola, and that tells you that they really mean business in this edition of the Champions League. I think we can all agree that the teams that are in the knockout stages really deserve to be there.”

Kekana highlighted the fact that Malien have been granted leave from their domestic matches to focus on the Champions League as a sign they could be dangerous opposition for Sundowns.

“They really managed to focus on this Champions League. They want to do well. They want to make sure that they go as far as the final, if that is possible.”

CAF Champions League Quarter-Final Fixtures

• RS Berkane v Al Hilal

• Esperance v Al Ahly

• Mamelodi Sundowns v Stade Malien

• AS FAR v Pyramids FC