The afternoon sun over Pretoria felt gentle, the football anything but. In the end, Sundowns in CAF Champions League told a familiar story as Mamelodi Sundowns eased past Remo Stars with a 2-0 win at Loftus Versfeld, completing a commanding 7-1 aggregate and booking their place in the group stages for the 11th consecutive season.
There was a crisp certainty about the result. Nuno Santos and Peter Shalulile delivered the goals that capped a tie already tilted by the 5-1 first leg in Nigeria, and the champions of South Africa again reminded the continent how ruthless they can be at this phase with a 7-1 aggregate.
Controlled performance at Loftus Versfeld
If there was any anxiety before kickoff, it never showed. Head coach Miguel Cardoso resisted any temptation to experiment, naming a strong team that saw Ronwen Williams, Malibongwe Khoza and Miguel Reisinho make way, while Denis Onyango, Grant Kekana and Arthur Sales returned to the starting lineup.
Once the whistle blew, Sundowns moved the ball with poise and purpose. Santos struck first in the 21st minute, bringing down an Aubrey Modiba cross on the left before finishing with conviction, a moment that underlined how quickly this side can switch from patience to precision, and how a single clean touch from Nuno Santos can open the floodgates.
Remo Stars attempted to regroup but the timing of the second goal was ruthless. On the cusp of half-time, the Namibian forward tucked away the chance that ended the contest as a spectacle, a poacher’s finish from Peter Shalulile that made the interval feel like a procession.
The second half became a lesson in control. Sundowns kept the ball, managed the tempo and leaned on their depth as Cardoso rolled on fresh legs, all while the Tshwane giants shut down space and protected a clean sheet that never truly looked under threat against the 2016 African champions’ visitors.
Eleven seasons running and the real challenge that awaits
There is a rhythm to Sundowns at this juncture of the campaign. An 11th consecutive season in the group stages is as much about standards as it is about skill, and last season’s 8-0 aggregate against Mbabane Swallows provided an earlier snapshot of a club that knows how to dispatch early hurdles without fuss.
Now the stakes rise. The group phase draw arrives early next month, with 16 winners from the second qualifying round to be split into four groups of four teams, and it is in that round-robin cauldron that tactical patience and big-match temperament will be truly tested.
The deeper story behind the depth
The victory over Remo Stars highlighted something that often gets lost in the glow of a comfortable scoreline. Sundowns have built a squad that can adjust without losing its identity, a rotation that keeps levels high and competition sharper, especially in areas like right-back where the internal battle has genuine edge.
That depth breeds maturity, and maturity breeds the kind of football we saw at Loftus, calm possession, neat triangles, and a game-state mastery that keeps risk to a minimum. It is calculated, almost clinical, with just enough incision to separate the champions from the chasing pack without drifting into complacency.
Johannes in the balance as January approaches
Amid the positivity sits a very human subplot. The future of Kegan Johannes remains uncertain after a proposed loan move to Siwelele collapsed at the eleventh hour, with SABC Sport reporting that the PSL newcomers had already filled their quota of registered loan players, and indications now suggest Sundowns would be open to moving him on if the right opportunity emerges in January.
Johannes arrived at Chloorkop with promise following his switch from SuperSport United last season, where pace, defensive awareness and a willingness to push forward made him one of the brighter young defenders in the country. Yet minutes have been scarce, and he is not understood to be central to Cardoso’s plans in a department where the champions have notable depth.
Recent injuries in the position seemed to nudge the door ajar. When setbacks struck Thapelo Morena and Zuko Mdunyelwa, Johannes returned to the matchday squad against Richards Bay, but the club’s broader stance on his long-term trajectory is unchanged for now.
At 24, time is still his ally. The January transfer window could offer a reset and a runway to the regular football he needs, either to fight back into contention at Sundowns or to reignite his career in a new environment where the path to the pitch is clearer.
What Sundowns need in the group stage
Mamelodi Sundowns have built a reliable engine for early rounds. To thrive when the draw pits them against peers of comparable pedigree, they will need the same control of tempo, the same sharp edge in both boxes and the same trust in the squad that has won them so many domestic battles in the CAF Champions League push.
Opponents will be stronger, patterns more complex and margins thinner. With stiffer opposition on the horizon, decisions in both selection and in-game management will carry heavier weight, and that is where Cardoso’s calm hand and the leaders within the dressing room can shape tight group contests.
Key takeaways
- Sundowns brushed aside Remo Stars with a 2-0 second leg to seal a 7-1 aggregate and an 11th straight group stage berth,
- Squad depth and Cardoso’s measured rotation provided control and clarity, yet the group phase will demand higher levels,
- Kegan Johannes faces an uncertain future after his Siwelele move fell through, with a potential January solution on the table.
The bigger picture for Masandawana
There is a steadiness to this Sundowns story that resonates with their home supporters. The scenes at Loftus spoke to a team that has learned how to navigate the early checkpoints with minimal fuss, saving mental and physical fuel for when the journey becomes steeper and the road less forgiving.
From Onyango’s experience anchoring the back to the incisive finishing of Shalulile and the clean technique of Santos, the blend feels right. The trick, as always, lies in bottling that balance and carrying it into the group stage where even short lapses are punished and where the tiniest details tilt nights one way or the other.
For now, the champions can breathe, enjoy a job done well and look forward to the draw. The real work begins again soon, and if Sunday is any guide, Sundowns will enter it with the calm focus of a club that has seen this road before and knows exactly how to walk it.
