Ribeiro, Mayele key figures in CAF Champions League final
Brazilian Lucas Ribeiro of Mamelodi Sundowns and Congolese Fiston Mayele of Pyramids are potential match-winners in the CAF Champions League final first leg in Pretoria on Saturday.
Sundowns' Namibian forward #38 Peter Shalulile (L) celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League quarter final between Mamelodi Sundowns and Esperance Sportive de Tunis at Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria on 1 April 2025. Picture: PHILL MAGAKOE/AFP
JOHANNESBURG - Brazilian Lucas Ribeiro of Mamelodi Sundowns and Congolese Fiston Mayele of Pyramids are potential match-winners in the CAF Champions League final first leg in Pretoria on Saturday.
Ribeiro, 26, has scored 16 goals in the South African Premiership this season, making him odds-on favourite to win the Golden Boot award.
The South American did endure a mid-season goal drought, but bagged a brace last weekend as Sundowns clinched a record-extending eighth consecutive domestic league title.
"He is not only the best footballer in South Africa, he is the best footballer in Africa," said teammate Marcelo Allende, a Chilean.
Ribeiro moved to Pretoria-based Sundowns from Belgian club Beveren in mid 2023 and is hot favourite to be voted the 2024/2025 South African Footballer of the Year.
He has never represented Brazil, leading some football followers to push for him to be granted citizenship and included in the South African national squad.
South African international Iqraam Rayners also poses a major threat, having scored 21 goals in South African and continental competitions this term.
Sundowns know all about Mayele having watched him wreck dreams of an all-South African final in the premier African club competition, which offers a $4 million (3.5 million euros) first prize.
Egyptian hopefuls Pyramids faced Orlando Pirates, the other South African challengers, in the semi-finals and, after a goalless first leg in Johannesburg, won the return match 3-2 in Cairo.
Pirates led twice in Egypt and were six minutes away from qualifying for the title decider when the Congolese pounced on a loose ball after a corner and scored the decisive goal.
Mayele, 30, also scored the first equaliser, and his eight goals make him the leading scorer in the Champions League this season.
ADEL BACK
"Fiston is a very good player, but he is not our sole concern. We are focusing on the team rather than individuals," veteran Sundowns defender Mosa Lebusa told reporters.
Pyramids have reached the final at only the second attempt after drawing away and losing at home to Sundowns last season in the group phase, and boast another clinical finisher in Ibrahim Adel.
The scorer of six goals in the African campaign, he missed both legs of the semi-final triumph over Pirates due to injury.
Croatian coach Krunoslav Jurcic has included Adel in the squad for the first leg, but had to omit Nigerian Sodiq Ougola, who injured a knee in training.
While Mayele and Adel have contributed 14 of the 34 goals scored by Pyramids in 14 matches en route to the final, the other 20 came from 16 different players.
As Jurcic, 55, prepares for his biggest challenge since being hired by Pyramids last year, Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso, 52, has reached back-to-back Champions League finals.
He took Esperance of Tunisia to the decider last season, where they fell 1-0 on aggregate to Al Ahly of Egypt, the most successful Champions League club with 12 titles.
"We have done a thorough analysis of Sundowns and have spotted some weaknesses in their defensive set-up," said the former Croatia midfielder.
Cardoso believes "the strongest warriors will emerge victorious in the final. Our squad is talented, energetic, happy and looking forward to the challenge."
Sundowns have reached three Champions League finals. They lost to Ahly in 2001 and defeated another Egyptian giant, Zamalek, 15 years later.
A lengthy season for the South Africans does not end with the return match on June 1 -- they then face Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund and Ulsan of South Korea in the Club World Cup.