VAR decisions played a significant role as Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa built a 3-0 first-leg lead over Stade Malien of Mali on Friday in a CAF Champions League quarter-final.
Goals by Khuliso Mudau in the first half and substitute Iqraam Rayners in the second period were initially ruled offside by Gabonese assistant referees in Pretoria.
But VAR officials overruled both decisions and Sundowns established a commanding aggregate lead ahead of the return match on March 22 in Bamako.
Sundowns’ other goal was scored by Colombian Brayan Leon, his third of the Champions League campaign.
“The scoreline might suggest that it was an easy victory, but it was not. Stade took four points off Tunisian giants Esperance in the group phase,” said Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso.
“Winning by three goals at home does put us in a good position. Now we must travel to Mali and be prepared to fight.”
The South African club — runners-up to Pyramids of Egypt in the 2024/25 Champions League — dominated possession from the kick-off and went ahead on 34 minutes.
A pass from Brazilian Arthur Sales sent overlapping full-back Mudau clear and his shot found the far corner of the net off the hands of Stade goalkeeper N’Golo Traore.
Mudau should have scored again two minutes into the second half, but blazed over from inside the six-yard box with only Traore to beat.
Stade, the first Malian club to reach the knockout stage since the premier African club competition underwent format and name changes in 1997, had a chance to equalise soon after.
Cameroonian Taddeus Nkeng, scorer of five goals in qualifying and group matches, won an aerial duel from a corner, but his header flew well off target.
Within two minutes Sundowns doubled their lead as Leon burst between two defenders to fire a Nuno Santos cross into the net.
The home team thought they would be awarded a penalty on the hour mark after big-screen replays showed Babe Traore dragging Tashreeq Matthews to the ground.
But after viewing the incident on the touchline VAR monitor, the referee surprisingly ruled that no foul had been committed.
Portuguese Santos claimed his second assist of the match on 74 minutes as his cross set up unmarked Rayners to shoot past Traore.
The overall winners will face Esperance or record 12-time Champions League winners Al Ahly of Egypt in the semi-finals during April.
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