South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns have become the first team to qualify for the quarter finals of the Total CAF Champions League after a 1-0 victory over TP Mazembe on Tuesday.
The win took the Brazilians to 12 points, comfortably sitting top of Group B.
With two rounds of group matches left, Sundowns have a nine-point buffer between them and second placed Al Hilal who earlier on drew 0-0 with CR Belouizdad.
Lebohang Maboe scored the solitary goal for Masandawana who maintained their 100% group stage record with another important victory.
Congolese giants Mazembe remain pegged bottom of the group with just two points, but only one behind second spot with both Hilal and CRB sitting on three points. They face the two teams in their final two matches, in what will be decisive fixtures for The Ravens.
Maboe broke the deadlock for Sundowns in the 27th minute with a low shot inside the box after being picked out by a decent Themba Zwane cutback.
Mazembe were stunned as they had started the match with some heap of confidence and despite going down, they still put in a fight. They came close in the 33rd minute when a good passing move saw Tresor Mputu pick the ball at the edge of the box but he rifled his shot straight to Dennis Onyango.
The experienced midfielder had another go at goal minutes to the break with another rifled effort from outside the area, but this time his low drive went just wide.
At the start of the second half, Mazembe made changes, Beni Kinzumbi and Rainford Kalaba coming off for Sudi Bibonge and Jean Baleke.
Meanwhile, the soweto giants, Kaizer Chiefs played a goalless draw against Petro de Luanda in a CAF Champions League clash in Angola.
Hunt’s side holds a precarious position in Group C by occupying third spot with their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages seemingly now more difficult.
The 56-year-old admitted that he expected a tougher encounter in Angola following his side’s 2-0 win at home while adding that his players showed signs of fatigue.
