Late heroics lift Moroccan club to CAF Champions League semis as Sundowns advance
22 March 2026
Semi-final lineups confirmed
RS Berkane booked a spot in the CAF Champions League semi-finals by defeating Al Hilal Omdurman 1-0 in Sudan, winning 2-1 on aggregate after a 1-1 first leg in Morocco. Monir Shouair struck in stoppage time (90+3) to seal the tie for the Moroccan side.
In the other quarterfinal, Mamelodi Sundowns progressed despite a 2-0 loss to Stade Malien in Bamako, having prevailed 3-0 in the first leg for a 3-2 aggregate. Stade Malien's goals came from Tadious Nking (1) and Mandjan (40).
What happens next
The semi-finals will feature a Moroccan derby: Berkane vs AS FAR Rabat, while Sundowns meet Espérance de Tunis, who eliminated Al Ahly on a 3-2 aggregate after a second-leg win in Tunisia.
With these results, fans can expect a mix of North African tactical battles and South African pace to light up the last four. And yes, the ball finally filed its passport—clearly traveling more than some players this week.
Punchline 1: If football were a sniper, these goals would be headshots—precise and a tad dramatic.
Punchline 2: The only thing faster than the ball is the rumor that VAR is drafting a travel itinerary for the semifinals.
