Who stands in the way of Mamelodi Sundowns and a meeting with Paris St-Germain?

[p]Should they advance, they will face the winner of the FIFA Derby of the Americas between Mexican side [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/toluca/8hiBr2eQ/"]Toluca[/a] and the as-yet-unnamed CONMEBOL Libertadores champions for the right to meet [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psg/CjhkPw0k/"]Paris Saint-Germain[/a] in the final later this year.[/p][p]It is a huge carrot for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mamelodi-sundowns/lxZ6Bzh6/"]Sundowns[/a], who would relish the chance to take on PSG for a world crown.[/p][p]But there is plenty of work to be done before then, starting with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/al-ahli-sc/0MHmoCY0/"]Al Ahli[/a], who defeated New Zealand’s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/auckland-fc/2J7jacL6/"]Auckland FC[/a] 1-0 in the opener in Jeddah on Wednesday.[/p][p]Here is a quick look at Al Ahli, who do have a connection with Sundowns in the past …[/p][p] [/p][p][b]Key players[/b][/p][p]England international striker [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/toney-ivan/W6A3dA7c/"]Ivan Toney[/a] leads the line as their marquee overseas player, but they also have Senegal goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mendy-edouard/8zpLkf6p/"]Edouard Mendy[/a] and a quartet of Brazilians in defender [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ibanez/tARMiREs/"]Roger Ibañez[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/matheus-goncalves/YR7TN4lk/"]Matheus Gonçalves[/a], and forwards [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/galeno/dWU8oVh8/"]Galeno[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ricardo-mathias/O4UYjQFE/"]Ricardo Mathias[/a].[/p][p]Portugal international [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/trincao/vmYemyQS/"]Francisco Trincão[/a] is another of their forward options, while the midfield is anchored by France junior international [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/atangana-edoa-valentin/MskdO4tG/"]Valentin Atangana[/a]. [/p][embed guid="aad4e95a-7334-428d-840f-403848ac422a" url="https://x.com/FIFACF/status/2092730108503318893?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]Coach[/b][/p][p]The side is led by Bosnian-Dutch coach Marino Pušić, who only took charge earlier this month and may still be finding his feet. He replaced [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jaissle-matthias/Ua064Hks/"]Matthias Jaissle[/a], who has just signed with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/newcastle-utd/p6ahwuwJ/"]Newcastle United[/a].[/p][p]He does not have a huge CV, but has coached [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/twente/dhOKTHGA/"]FC Twente[/a] in the Netherlands and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/shakhtar/4ENWX2OA/"]Shakhtar Donetsk[/a] in Ukraine. He led the latter to the domestic league title in 2023/24 as well as two Ukrainian Cup triumphs.[/p][p]He was also assistant manager to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/slot-arne/lnG1OUjk/"]Arne Slot[/a] when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/feyenoord/8zjySeoN/"]Feyenoord[/a] won the Dutch league in 2022/23. [/p][p] [/p][p][b]Sundowns connection[/b][/p][p]Both of these clubs have been coached by Pitso Mosimane, who looks set to take over the reins at Bafana Bafana again.[/p][p]Mosimane led Sundowns between 2012 and 2020 with great success, including winning the CAF Champions League in 2016.[/p][p]He also had a brief spell in charge of Al Ahli from September 2022 to June 2023 and led them to promotion to the top flight, but was not retained.[/p][embed guid="59da85f0-03f2-49a1-99a4-3af7f573b362" url="https://x.com/FIFACF/status/2092709675011600395?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]Recent record[/b][/p][p]Since Mosimane led them back into the Saudi Pro League, the club has finished third, fifth and third, but earned their place in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup by virtue of their 2025/26 AFC Champions League Elite triumph. They have, in fact, won the competition in each of the past two seasons. [/p][p] [/p][p][b]Last time out[/b][/p][p]This is the second year in a row that Al Ahli will compete in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup.[/p][p]They joined at this same stage 12 months ago but lost 3-1 to African champions [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/pyramids/zyHMiDZ6/"]Pyramids FC[/a] in a game that was played in Jeddah.[/p][p]Pyramids lost at the next stage to Brazilian side [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/flamengo-rj/WjxY29qB/"]Flamengo[/a], who in turn lost on penalties to PSG in the decider. [/p][embed guid="67cad9a3-2682-4251-a641-87d4ac21ee7f" url="https://x.com/FIFACF/status/2092705043090739615?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]What’s in a name[/b][/p][p]Al Ahli were named after the famed Egyptian club and formed in Jeddah in 1937.[/p][p]They are among the most successful sides in the country with nine league titles and went 51 consecutive league matches without defeat between January 2014 and February 2016, the longest run in Saudi league history.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maradona-diego/2oVZGPyM/"]Diego Maradona[/a], Pelé and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cruyff-johan/8xBXNTsA/"]Johan Cruyff[/a] all played for the club in various friendly matches.[/p][infobox id="584d9683-f419-4696-8cb3-c155213092a0" /]