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Mamelodi Sundowns fly to Rabat today. The second leg of the 2026 CAF Champions League final is on Sunday evening. They lead 1-0 from the first leg at Loftus Versfeld, Aubrey Modiba's curled free kick in the 37th minute the only goal of a match that Sundowns dominated in possession and opportunity without converting with the efficiency the occasion demanded. Brayan Leon missed twice. Kutlwano Letlhaku was denied by Tagnaouti's legs. Teboho Mokoena's late effort hit the post.
The one-goal lead is real. The manner of the first leg means it is not comfortable. AS FAR need a single goal on Sunday to level the aggregate and set up a period of extra time and then penalties, still on their own ground, in front of a sold-out stadium. The Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium sold out before the first leg was even played. More than half a million fans queued for tickets, as confirmed by pre-match reports. Whatever Loftus Versfeld sounded like on Sunday, Rabat on Sunday night will be louder for Sundowns.
The Key Change: Kekana Returns
Grant Kekana's suspension was served in the first leg. He is available on Sunday and his return is the single most important change in Sundowns's defensive picture between the two legs. Kekana's absence contributed to Cardoso deploying three attacking midfielders without a defensive screen at Loftus Versfeld, a decision that served the home attacking intent but left the defensive structure thinner than usual. In Rabat, where AS FAR will have more of the ball and will press earlier, Kekana anchoring the back four gives Cardoso more flexibility and more defensive assurance behind the midfield line.
Mothobi Mvala remains unavailable through long-term injury. Keanu Cupido played in the first leg and came through without further issues. The back four for Sunday is expected to include Kekana, with the defensive shape considerably more orthodox than what Cardoso fielded a week ago.
The Finishing Problem Has Not Gone Away
Sundowns created 11 shots in the first leg with 0.83 expected goals. They scored once. In Rabat, the chances will be fewer: AS FAR produce the most compact defensive shape in the competition, have not conceded a first-half goal in any Champions League match this season, and will have the crowd and the tactical freedom of knowing that a single goal gives them everything they need. The chances Sundowns create on Sunday must be converted with more composure than the first leg produced.
Leon's one-on-one in the 67th minute at Loftus Versfeld, won by Tagnaouti's legs, was the clearest example of what was left behind. Tagnaouti prevented 4.6 goals above expectation from 25 saves across the entire competition. He is the best goalkeeper remaining in the tournament. On Sunday, in his own stadium, he will be at his sharpest. The forward who scores against Tagnaouti in Rabat to extend Sundowns's lead will have done something genuinely difficult. Getting into those positions again is the baseline requirement.
The Morocco Record and Why It Matters
Sundowns have never won a CAF Champions League match in Morocco. That record is the fact AS FAR's supporters, analysts, and players have been citing since the first-leg result was confirmed. It does not guarantee anything: historical records do not play 90 minutes. But it reflects something real about the conditions Sundowns face. Moroccan clubs organise defensively at home in ways that are specific to their football culture, altitude in some venues, late-night kickoffs, crowd noise that is unusually sustained and directional. The Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium is not the Cairo International Stadium or the 5 July Stadium in Algiers. It is AS FAR's ground, and they have not lost there in competitive continental football since the semi-final second leg against RS Berkane, which they won.
Cardoso acknowledged the difficulty without conceding to it after the first leg. His squad has been in continental knockout matches across three consecutive seasons. They know what defending away from home in high-pressure environments requires. Whether that experience translates to the specific demands of Rabat on Sunday is what the next 90 minutes will determine.
The Prize
The winners of the 2026 CAF Champions League receive $6 million USD in prize money, confirmed by CAF President Motsepe as a 50% increase on previous years. They also qualify for the 2026 FIFA Intercontinental Cup and the 2029 Club World Cup. For Sundowns, the title would end a decade without continental success and cement Cardoso's legacy at a club still defined, in the African context, by Pitso Mosimane's 2016 triumph. For AS FAR, it would end a 41-year wait and establish Moroccan club football at the top of the continental game in a way that even their domestic dominance has not quite managed. Sunday. Rabat. 21h00.
