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"contents": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mamelodi Sundowns cruised comfortably past Algerian champions CR Belouizdad in the first leg of the duo’s Caf Champions League quarterfinal clash.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Masandawana were 4-1 victors, thanks to a brace by their sniper Peter Shalulile. Playmaker Neo Maema, as well as starlet Cassius Mailula, also registered goals on a great night for the South Africans at the Nelson Mandela stadium in Algiers.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1658608\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/inset-6.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"501\" /> Khuliso Mudau celebrates Peter Shalulile scoring the opening goal during the Caf Champions League 2022/23 Quarterfinal 1st leg match between CR Belouizdad and Mamelodi Sundowns at Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers on 22 April 2023. (Photo: Djaffar Lakjal / BackpagePix)</p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Midfielder Miloud Rebiaï netted the consolatory strike for the home side, who now have the monumental task of trying to overturn the first leg deficit. The return leg takes place on Saturday, 29 April.</span>\r\n<h4><b>Be humble</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In spite of the team’s massive advantage heading into the second leg in Tshwane, Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena has cautioned his charges against complacency.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Responding to a question on whether he feels his side has already qualified for the semifinals – considering how comfortable they were against the Algerians away from home – Mokwena shot down the assertion.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“No. Stranger things have happened in football. As I said, we still have a lot of humility [heading into the second leg]. We beat a very good side. We still have to face a very good side in Pretoria… It’s only halftime,” Mokwena told journalists during his post-match press conference.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 36-year-old coach shared that his side “showed big personality to produce a big performance”. He added that despite the scoreline, the game had been a taxing one for his players. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It’s the quarterfinals of the Champions League. It’s tough. We should be under no illusions that the scoreline represents how demanding this game was for us,” Mokwena stated.</span>\r\n<h4><b>Break the hoodoo</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite the Tshwane giants regularly vacuuming up every trophy in front of them domestically of late – including winning the DStv Premiership six times on the trot – success in Africa’s premier club competition has proven to be a tougher prospect.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is evidenced by the fact that since their maiden continental conquest back in 2016 – Masandawana have failed to reach another final in the competition. Since then, the South African side has been eliminated in the quarterfinals almost every season.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The exception came in the 2018/2019 season, when they managed to play until the semifinals, before being vanquished by Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca 2-1 on aggregate.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With this win, the South Africans have taken a massive leap towards breaking their quarterfinal hoodoo.</span>\r\n<h4><b>Other results</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Egyptian giants Al Ahly kept their chase for a record-extending 11th title alive with a 2-0 victory over Raja Casablanca in their first leg quarterfinal encounter. South Africa’s Percy Tau played a key role in the win – providing the assist for the Red Devils’ second strike of the night in Cairo.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Tanzania, reigning African champions Wydad Casablanca went down 1-0 to home side Simba. 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"description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mamelodi Sundowns cruised comfortably past Algerian champions CR Belouizdad in the first leg of the duo’s Caf Champions League quarterfinal clash.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Masandawana were 4-1 victors, thanks to a brace by their sniper Peter Shalulile. Playmaker Neo Maema, as well as starlet Cassius Mailula, also registered goals on a great night for the South Africans at the Nelson Mandela stadium in Algiers.</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1658608\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"720\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-1658608\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/inset-6.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"501\" /> Khuliso Mudau celebrates Peter Shalulile scoring the opening goal during the Caf Champions League 2022/23 Quarterfinal 1st leg match between CR Belouizdad and Mamelodi Sundowns at Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers on 22 April 2023. (Photo: Djaffar Lakjal / BackpagePix)[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Midfielder Miloud Rebiaï netted the consolatory strike for the home side, who now have the monumental task of trying to overturn the first leg deficit. The return leg takes place on Saturday, 29 April.</span>\r\n<h4><b>Be humble</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In spite of the team’s massive advantage heading into the second leg in Tshwane, Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena has cautioned his charges against complacency.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Responding to a question on whether he feels his side has already qualified for the semifinals – considering how comfortable they were against the Algerians away from home – Mokwena shot down the assertion.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“No. Stranger things have happened in football. As I said, we still have a lot of humility [heading into the second leg]. We beat a very good side. 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Khuliso Mudau celebrates Peter Shalulile scoring the opening goal during the Caf Champions League 2022/23 Quarterfinal 1st leg match between CR Belouizdad and Mamelodi Sundowns at Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers on 22 April 2023. (Photo: Djaffar Lakjal / BackpagePix)