By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
@Masandawana.
Al-Hilal stunned Mamelodi Sundowns with a 2-1 victory in Kigali to seize control of Group C in the CAF Champions League on Friday night.
The Sudanese side, who capitalised on Sundowns’ errors to climb to the top of the table at the halfway stage of the group phase.
Al-Hilal struck first deep into first-half stoppage time after referee Mahmoud Nagy awarded a penalty following a costly mistake by veteran goalkeeper Denis Onyango.
Mohammed Abdel Rahman stepped up and kept his nerve, sending Onyango the wrong way to give the Sudanese champions a deserved lead at the break.
Sundowns fell further behind just four minutes after the restart, with Jean Claude Girumugisha latching onto a misplaced pass from Marcelo Allende to fire past Onyango.
Sundowns responded by increasing their tempo and found a lifeline just past the hour mark. Brazilian substitute Arthur Sales reduced the deficit with a composed finish from inside the penalty area, giving the South Africans renewed belief and setting up a tense final half-hour.
Despite sustained pressure, Sundowns were unable to find an equaliser.
Al-Hilal defended with discipline and resilience, slowing the game at key moments and protecting their narrow advantage to secure a statement win on neutral ground.
The result lifts Al-Hilal to eight points and into sole possession of first place in Group C, placing them in a strong position as the competition heads into its decisive phase.
Sundowns, meanwhile, remain second on five points and will now need a strong response in the return fixtures to reassert their qualification credentials.