In a surprising turn of events at the Stade TP Mazembe in Lubumbashi, Mamelodi Sundowns faced a setback, losing 1-0 to TP Mazembe in their CAF Champions League Group A match on Saturday afternoon.
Despite an early domination in possession, Rulani Mokwena’s team struggled to break through TP Mazembe’s defense. While Sundowns held control, they had few clear-cut opportunities, and Mazembe relied on long-distance attempts, with Cheick Fofana coming closest with a powerful shot that narrowly missed the target.
Sundowns captain Themba Zwane found himself in a one-on-one with the goalkeeper in the 39th minute but missed a crucial opportunity, watching the ball brush the upright and go wide. Thapelo Morena fired just over three minutes later.
As halftime approached, Sundowns had a free-kick just outside the box, but Teboho Mokoena’s attempt flew just over, leaving the score goalless at halftime.
Despite Khuliso Mudau briefly finding the net early in the second half, the goal was disallowed for an offside. Lucas Ribeiro’s effort struck the crossbar in the 52nd minute, and against the run of play, TP Mazembe seized the lead in the 60th minute as Glody Likonza headed past Ronwen Williams to make it 1-0.
Sundowns continued to push for an equalizer, with Ribeiro denied by Aliou Faty in the 75th minute from close range. However, Mazembe held on for a historic win, marking just their second victory over the South African opponents despite Sundowns’ dominance throughout the match.
