The Premier Soccer League’s acting Chief Executive Mato Madlala has heaped praise on Mamelodi Sundowns following their qualification for the CAF Champions League semi-finals last night.
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He quit on Wednesday after Zamalek lost to Sundowns for the second time in 10 days.
Sundowns won the previous meeting in Cairo 2-1 and triumphed again courtesy of an own goal from Zamalek’s Ali Gabr Mossad.
Zamalek’s chairman Mortada Mansour said he had accepted the resignation of Helmi, who took over at the club following the sacking of Scot Alex McLeish in May.
Reaching the semi-finals continues a remarkable turnaround for Pretoria outfit Sundowns after they were eliminated in the final qualifying round only to be reinstated.
“There’s a little bit of bragging rights in beating Zamalek, but we still have to do the business”, he said.
On the eve of the group draw it was discovered that V Club of the Democratic Republic of Congo, who beat Sundowns, had fielded an ineligible player and they were disqualified.
However, Zesco United were held to a draw away to Asec Mimosas in Abidjan to open up the group and keep ASEC’s faint hopes of progressing alive.
Nabi Kone nodded the hosts ahead in the second half and Jackson Mwanza levelled three minutes later.
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As it stands, Sundowns have a 100 per cent record with nine points winning all three group games played in Group B and they just have a game left which against Enyimba in Nigeria.
