Mamelodi Sundowns beat Al Ahli to reach FIFA Challenger Cup
Mamelodi Sundowns moved a step closer to the FIFA Intercontinental Cup™ final after defeating Al Ahli 2-1 at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria to claim the inaugural FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup™.
The CAF Champions League holders produced a determined performance in front of a packed home crowd, with Nuno Santos scoring twice to send the South African champions into the FIFA Challenger Cup™.
Santos opened the scoring with a header in the first half, but Al Ahli responded quickly. Feras Al Brikan’s effort took a deflection off Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams before crossing the line to bring the Saudi Arabian side level.
The match remained tightly contested, with both teams creating opportunities as they searched for the decisive goal. Sundowns eventually found it in the second half when Santos rose to head home his second of the night and restore the hosts’ advantage.
Al Ahli pushed for another equaliser but could not find a way through as Sundowns held on to complete the 2-1 victory. The result ends Al Ahli’s run in the competition after they had previously defeated Auckland FC 1-0 in the FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Play-Off™.
For Sundowns, the victory extends a historic campaign that began with their CAF Champions League triumph. Their next challenge will be the FIFA Challenger Cup, where they will face the winner of the FIFA Derby of the Americas™.
That matchup will feature Concacaf Champions Cup winners Toluca against the 2026 CONMEBOL Libertadores champions, who will be crowned in Montevideo, Uruguay, on November 28.
A place in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final will be at stake. The winner of the Challenger Cup will meet UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain, the reigning FIFA Intercontinental Cup champions, in the tournament’s showpiece match.
The final three fixtures of the 2026 competition will be staged in a single host country, which FIFA is expected to confirm at a later date.
Written by Oral Ofori for TheAfricanDream®
