Mamelodi Sundowns have one firm foot in the 2023-24 CAF Champions League group stage after the South African champions cruised to a 4-0 first leg victory over Burundi’s Bumamuru FC on Friday at the Azam Complex Stadium in Dar es Salaam. Lucas Ribeiro Costa scored twice in the first half with goals from Lesiba Nku and Peter Shalulile completing the victory. The teams will meet again for the second leg in South Africa on September 30.
Little resistance was expected from Bumamuru who defeated Gabon’s Centre Sportif Bendje in the first preliminary round. Indeed the hosts went behind in the 12th minute when Ribeiro Costa converted from the penalty spot after a handball was called against Bumamuru. Costa doubled the lead in the 37th minute and Nku added another for the visitors before halftime.
Bumamuru performed better after halftime but were unable to get a goal back. Shalulile was among a group of four substitutions from Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena made for the final twenty minutes and the Namibian pounced for a poacher’s finish close to the 80th minute.
Highlights from the match are below.
