By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
@GalloImages.
Mamelodi Sundowns and MC Alger shared the spoils in a tense goalless draw in the CAF Champions League at the Ali La Pointe Stadium on Friday evening.
Sundowns looked to be the better side and enjoyed ball possession before the interval. However, both teams went into the break with a 0-0 scoreline.
In the 86th minute, Algers thought they had pulled off a smash and grab after finding the back of the net only for the assistant referee to rightfully raise his flag.
In the end, both sides settled for a share of the spoils as Sundowns maintained their top spot with four points while Alger stayed in third with a single point.
Sundowns may be overtaken at the top by Al Hilal who take on Saint-Éloi Lupopo on Sunday. Lupopo are desperate for a win after they lost to Sundowns at Loftus last weekend.
Sundowns’ next Champions League assignment will be against Hilal Obayed at home on 23 January 2026.
Meanwhile South African referee Abongile Tom has been named on the final panel for the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco, along with veteran Zakhele Siwela.
They are on the final list of 28 referees and 31 linesmen, plus 14 Video Match Officials named for the tournament, which kicks off on 21 December.
Tom, 33, refereed at the last Cup of Nations finals in the Ivory Coast, taking charge of three matches, including a tie in the round of 16, and more recently handling the World Cup playoff match between Gabon and Nigeria in Rabat.
Siwela ran the line at the 2021 Cup of Nations final in Cameroon, which Victor Gomes refereed, and has been to a total of six AFCON tournaments, but he was surprisingly omitted from the last Cup of Nations finals.