Sundowns' CAF Champions League opponents thrashed in league tie | OneFootball

Downs CAFCL opponents drubbed in league clash

Photo: CAF Online

Mamelodi Sundowns' CAF Champions League quarter-final opponents Stade Malien suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to Binga in the Malian Ligue 1.

The reigning Mali champions sit eighth with 19 points picked up in 13 games, albeit have two games in hand over log leaders Real Bamako, who have 31 points.

Malien are on a three-game winless run in the league, and had their clash against AS Korofina, originally scheduled for last Sunday, 08 March, rescheduled.

The fixture postponement comes as a bid to aid the Malian giants in their preparations for the confrontation with Sundowns in the first-leg at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Friday.

Contrary to their league form, Malien topped Group D with 11 points, ahead of Esperance de Tunis, Petro de Luanda, and Simba SC, en route to booking their spot in the knockout stages.

Mauril Mesack Njoya's men recorded three wins, two draws and a solitary defeat, while keeping four clean sheets having conceded twice in the group stages.

It remains to be seen whether the Bamako-based outfit can cause an upset against a formidable Sundowns team searching for a second Champions League title.

Miguel Cardoso's men fell short to Pyramids FC in the final last season, and booked their place in the last eight by virtue of finishing second to Al-Hilal Omdurman in Group C this campaign.