Mamelodi Sundowns require only a draw to secure their position in the knockout rounds of the CAF Champions League, following a 1-1 stalemate between FAR Rabat and Raja Casablanca at Stade d’Honneur in Miknâs this past Saturday.

This outcome guarantees that Sundowns, currently holding second place in Group B with eight points from five matches, can only be surpassed by Raja (third) or AS Maniema Union (last) in their final group stage fixture if they manage to defeat the Congolese team.

With Rabat and Sundowns sitting atop the standings, the forthcoming encounter between the two will decide the group champion.

Sundowns are set to host Rabat at Loftus Stadium next Sunday. A victory for Sundowns will clinch the top position in the group, allowing them to play the second leg of the quarter-finals at home in South Africa.

The Moroccan Derby looked to be leading towards a scoreless draw. However, in the 40th minute, Raja goalkeeper Anas Zniti inadvertently netted an own goal from a corner, giving FAR Rabat the advantage.

In the second half, the action was sparse until the 77th minute when Raja was awarded a penalty. Naoufel Zerhouni successfully converted it, sending Zniti the wrong way to equalize the match.

Despite both teams crafting opportunities in the closing stages, the final score remained, confirming that a draw between Sundowns and Rabat would allow both teams to advance to the knockout rounds.

Sundowns achieved a vital victory in their earlier match on Saturday, with Namibian forward Peter Shalulile netting two late goals to win against Maniema Union in Kinshasa.

Shalulile, who had recently been replaced by Iqraam Rayners in the starting lineup, came off the bench to score both goals. However, it seems that his second goal might have been deflected in by a Maniema player, potentially classifying it as an own goal.