Mamelodi Sundowns have become the “Denmark” of the African Champions League, said coach Pitso Mosimane of their fairytale run to the final after having lost in the preliminary round of the competition.
The South African club booked their place in the 2016 final against Zamalek of Egypt by beating the Zambian side Zesco United 2-0 in the second leg of their semi-final on Saturday night.
It continues a dramatic renaissance for the Pretoria club who were out of the competition at one point, following their defeat by DR Congo’s AS Vita Club.
However, Sundowns were dramatically reinstated and given a place in the group phase when Vita were disqualified for using an ineligible player in the opening rounds of the competition.
Denmark in 1992 were called up at the last minute to take the place of war-torn Yugoslavia at the European Championship in Sweden.
Weeks later they had clinched an unprecedented victory that remains the reference for unlikely footballing comebacks.