Al Ahly embarrassed in South Africa after a heavy defeat against Sundowns 5-0

Egyptian giants and record eight-time winners Ahly suffered their worst ever defeat in African competitions after they were outclassed in a stunning 5-0 loss at South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday.

The embarrassing defeat in the first leg of the African Champions League quarter-final almost certainly ends Ahly’s bid for their first accolade since 2013.

It also surpassed their 3-0 loss to Nigeria’s Enugu Rangers in the CAF Cup, the old version of the Confederation Cup, in 2003 as their biggest ever defeat.

Sundowns, cheered on by a passionate crowd at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria, went to the locker room two up, thanks to goals from Themba Zwane and Wayne Arendse.

The visitors’ disastrous defence was torn to shreds in the second half, with three further goals from Ricardo Nascimento (penalty), Gaston Sirino and ex-Ahly forward Phakamani Mahlambi compounding the misery of the Red Devils.

Ahly host the second leg in Suez next weekend, where they would be looking to restore some of their shattered pride.

The stunning reverse in Pretoria will heap pressure on Uruguayan coach Martin Lasarte, whose arrival coincided with a January spending spree that yielded immediate results in the Egyptian Premier League, with Ahly closing to within two points of perennial rivals Zamalek on top.