Shalulile’s Strike Gives Sundowns Narrow Edge Over Espérance in CAF Champions League

Former Junior International Onuche Ogbelu anchored the midfield for Espérance de Tunis as Mamelodi Sundowns secured a 1-0 victory in the first leg of their CAF Champions League quarterfinal at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria.

 

Namibian striker Peter Shalulile’s decisive goal came in the 54th minute, finishing off a well-worked move initiated by Brazilian playmaker Lucas Ribeiro. Despite Sundowns dominating possession, Espérance, marshaled by Ogbelu in midfield, held firm defensively and restricted the hosts to long-range efforts for much of the game.

 

Espérance struggled to create clear chances in their push for an equalizer but kept the deficit manageable ahead of the return leg in Tunis. Ogbelu, who has started 27 matches since joining Espérance in 2023, continues to establish himself after rising through Nigeria’s youth ranks, including a third-place finish at the 2023 U-20 AFCON.