Defending champions Sundowns knocked out of CAF Champions League by Angola's Williete
Angola's Williete eliminated Mamelodi Sundowns, the South African club and reigning African champions, from the CAF Champions League after a 1-1 draw in the second leg at Sundowns' home ground on Friday. The result ended the holders' campaign in the round of 32. According to Al Jazeera, it is the first time in 12 years that the club has failed to reach the group stage.
Why it matters
Sundowns are among the continent's strongest clubs, so the early exit of the holders opens the race for this season's title to other sides, including Arab clubs. It also reflects how narrow the gap between African clubs has become and how hard it is to defend the title.
Background
The CAF Champions League is the top club competition in African football and is run by the Confederation of African Football. The route to the group stage runs through preliminary rounds played over two legs. Mamelodi Sundowns, a South African club, entered this season's tournament as the defending champions.
Key points
- Al Jazeera described Sundowns' exit as a major surprise.
How outlets covered it
Both outlets agree on the core fact: Mamelodi Sundowns, the defending champions, were knocked out of the CAF Champions League by Angola's Wiliete. Sky News Arabia focused on match details, reporting a 1-1 draw at Sundowns' home ground in Friday's second leg and saying the exit came in the round of 32. Al Jazeera focused on the significance of the result, calling it a major surprise and saying the team failed to reach the group stage for the first time in 12 years. The two also name the stage differently: Sky News Arabia calls it the round of 32, while Al Jazeera calls it the second preliminary round.
How outlets headlined it
This is a brief summary. The full details and context are in the original coverage.
Read the full story at سكاي نيوز عربيةThis summary was prepared with the help of AI based on the source's reporting and may contain errors. Spotted a mistake? Let us know
