With the group phase having hit the halfway stage, all three will be looking for wins that solidify their quarter-final hopes.
Sundowns head to neutral ground
Mamelodi Sundowns are in neutral Rwanda to face Sudanese side Al Hilal in a battle for top spot in their CAF Champions League Group C on Friday, a week after the teams met in a 2-2 draw in Pretoria.
The fallout from that stalemate saw fans focus their ire on Sundowns sporting director Flemming Berg and sing the name of former coach Pitso Mosimane.
The teams have near-identical records in the competition to date, both winning one game to go with two draws and scoring five goals. The only difference is that Sundowns have conceded three to Al Hilal’s four.
The winner will open up a gap at the top of the table, while a draw would allow DR Congo club Saint-Éloi Lupopo to go top if they win away at Rulani Mokwena’s MC Alger.
It has not been easy on the road for Sundowns in the last year, with only three wins from their 11 away games (D5 L3) in the Champions League. One of those losses was a 2-1 away defeat in the second leg of the 2024/25 final to Pyramids FC of Egypt.
Several players were rested for Tuesday’s 2-0 league win at Sekhukhune United, but they will have Teboho Mokoena back for this match after he was suspended for that fixture.
Sundowns and Al Hilal have ended all square in their last two clashes, but overall Sundowns lead the head-to-head 5–1 with three draws. The Sudanese side’s only success was a 4-2 home win in 2008.
Chiefs keep rolling
There is a real feel-good factor running through Kaizer Chiefs at present, with the team on a winning run, flying high in the Betway Premiership and looking to get their CAF Confederation Cup campaign motoring this weekend.
They have a strong opportunity to do that when they host bottom side ZESCO United of Zambia in their pool, having claimed a 1-0 victory against the same opponents last time out.
Chiefs have four points from three games, three behind leaders Al Masry and one adrift of fellow Egyptian side Zamalek. With return fixtures still to come against both, three points against ZESCO is a must, and very achievable.
Chiefs have lost just one of their last 16 games in all competitions (W7 D8), that defeat coming away to Al Masry.
They have won their last three matches, all by 1-0 scorelines, and have not conceded a goal since a 1-1 draw with Zamalek in November.
In fact, across this 17-game run they have conceded only seven goals, with their form built on a solid defence and nicking a goal at the other end. It is working.
ZESCO’s recent form has been poor and they currently lie eighth in the Zambian Super League, having won just six of their 16 games this season.
Stellies strong at home
Stellenbosch have work to do if they are to qualify for the quarter-finals of the CAF Confederation Cup as they welcome the top side in their pool, CR Belouizdad, to the Cape Town Stadium on Sunday.
The Algerians were comfortable 2-0 winners in the reverse fixture last weekend and lead the table with six points from three games. Tanzanian side Singida Black Stars and Stellenbosch both have four points, while Congolese outfit Otôho d’Oyo have three. It is a tight group.
Stellenbosch reached the semifinals last year, a campaign built on strong home form. They have only ever been beaten once at home in the competition, by eventual winners RS Berkane of Morocco.
Their nine home matches have yielded six wins and two draws, with those stalemates coming against Zamalek and last year’s runners-up Simba SC.
However, there has been significant change at the club with the arrival of coach Gavin Hunt and a number of player departures, with more exits this week. That makes them something of an unknown quantity.
Belouizdad are coached by former TS Galaxy tactician Sead Ramovic, who will know Hunt, Stellenbosch and South African football very well.