Mamelodi Sundowns worked hard to shut down dangerous overlapping left-back Ali Maâloul and pressed Al Ahly high to notch a famous first win in Cairo against the Red Devils on Saturday night, said Brazilians co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi.

Thapelo Morena's 85th-minute strike secured Sundowns a famous 1-0 Group A win against Pitso Mosimane's back-to-back defending champions at Cairo International Stadium.

Mngqithi said Sundowns' plan was to defend high, though dropping off to the halfway line, and stretch the game out because they knew Ahly — bronze medallists at the Fifa Club World Cup this month — had played a lot of matches. This included a 4-0 Egyptian Premier League win against Misr Lel Makkasa at Ahly’s Al Salam Stadium home ground last Tuesday night.

Sundowns had a week to prepare in Cairo having stayed there after their 0-0 draw against Sudanese outfit Al-Merrikh at Al Salam Stadium on Saturday.

“We had to drag the game a bit and make sure they didn't get an early goal because we knew as the game progressed they might tire,” said Mngqithi.

“In the latter stages of the first half we could have punished them. And even in the latter stages of the second half, that's where we punished them.

“We anticipated what they might bring. We were confident the team we have has the capacity because we were still unhappy with what happened last year, because even last year we believed we deserved to win.”

Sundowns lost 3-1 on aggregate to Ahly in the 2020-21 quarterfinal, though dominated the opening leg in Cairo, defensive errors costing the Pretoria team a 2-0 defeat they could not recover from in the tie.

Mngqithi said forcing influential Tunisian left-back Maâloul, a source of Ahly’s attacking impetus with his overlapping runs and crosses, onto his right foot was a major part of Downs’ strategy.

“Our plan was to always try to defend from zone two [in the attacking third] so we minimised the space behind our defence and were able to close the pockets and the half spaces. Because we knew, especially when they brought on [Hussein] Al Shahat and 'Afsha' [Mohamed Magdy] they were going to be using those half spaces and pockets,” he said.

“We had to make sure we dropped a bit but still put a lot of pressure on the ball, which I think we did very well. There were a few scary moments but I think the game plan worked.

“Their main player who always causes a lot of problems with them entering the box is always Maâloul with his very good delivery with his left foot. He finds the half spaces easily and also has the ability to find the space behind the defence.

“We had to make sure we closed his left foot a lot and forced him to the inside, which we did. But on the few occasions where he got the chance to put a ball into the box it was always looking deadly.”

It could have been more in Cairo — Lyle Lakay's cross-cum-shot in the first half struck the post in the opening half.

In their five previous clashes against Al Ahly in Egypt, starting in 2007, Sundowns had played five and lost five, without scoring a goal, though they were unlucky not to get more from some of those games.

Downs top Group A with seven points from three games. Merrikh (four from two) are second, Ahly (one from two) third and Al-Hilal (one from three) fourth.