Mamelodi Sundowns team picture during the CAF Champions League 2025/26 – Final – 1st leg match between Mamelodi Sundown and AS FAR at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, in Pretoria on 17 May 2026 ©Phakamisa Lensman/Backpagepix
Wednesday May 20, 2026. 13:00
Mamelodi Sundowns’ preparations for their CAF Champions League title decider against AS FAR hit a snag on Tuesday after they were unable to fly to Morocco.
Miguel Cardoso’s squad was due to travel from OR Tambo International airport in the morning, but they remained grounded after several hours’ wait before being told to go home.
The delay was caused as a result of the Moroccan aviation authorities denying the plane a landing permit, leading to accusations of gamesmanship by the North Africans.
Bafana Ba Style now have one day less to get acclimatised to conditions in Rabat ahead of the second leg of their final showdown with Al-Zaeem at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium on Sunday, May 24.
Masandawana have a slender advantage in the tie after Aubrey Modiba’s 37th-minute free-kick secured a 1-0 win in the first leg at Loftus Versfeld on May 17.
The match in Pretoria was marred by crowd trouble after a section of AS FAR supporters appeared to clash with police in the stands, although the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has postponed disciplinary proceedings until next week.