Mamelodi Sundowns: How African clubs have fared in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup

[p]The two clubs are vying to play the winner of the Derby of the Americas in the next stage, between [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/toluca/8hiBr2eQ/"]Toluca[/a] of Mexico and an as-yet-unknown South American side.[/p][p]Waiting in the final for the winner of that tie are European champions [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psg/CjhkPw0k/"]Paris Saint-Germain[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/al-ahli-sc/0MHmoCY0/"]Al Ahli[/a], with the likes of England international [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/toney-ivan/W6A3dA7c/"]Ivan Toney[/a] in their side, scraped past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/auckland-fc/2J7jacL6/"]Auckland FC[/a] of New Zealand in the first round when they claimed a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/al-ahli-sc-0MHmoCY0/auckland-fc-2J7jacL6/?mid=QTJpnS8T"]1-0[/a] victory.[/p][p]No African side has lifted this trophy before, though [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mazembe/rJfKh7qN/"]TP Mazembe[/a] (2010, lost to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/inter/Iw7eKK25/"]Inter Milan[/a]) and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/raja-casablanca/vTnNkCKc/"]Raja Casablanca[/a] (2013, lost to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bayern-munich/nVp0wiqd/"]Bayern Munich[/a]) have previously been finalists.[/p][p]Egyptian giants [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/al-ahly/EPsYDm4A/"]Al Ahly[/a] have finished third on four occasions, most recently in 2023.[/p][embed guid="64cdad72-f962-4f6a-a2ce-08e88fdb547f" url="https://x.com/Masandawana/status/2093564380470231425?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mamelodi-sundowns/lxZ6Bzh6/"]Sundowns[/a]’ only previous appearance came in 2016, when they finished sixth after losing 2-0 to Japanese side [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/kashima-antlers/4nNKlKo9/"]Kashima Antlers[/a] in the second round and then 4-1 to South Koreans [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/jeonbuk/x0hNfcgA/"]Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors[/a] in the battle for fifth place.[/p][p]African clubs have featured in 61 matches since the competition was first played as the FIFA Club World Championship in 2000. That tournament has now evolved into the expanded 32-team FIFA Club World Cup, played every four years, with this slimmed-down Intercontinental Cup contested annually.[/p][p]Teams from the continent have 20 wins, seven draws and 34 defeats, scoring 78 goals and conceding 98.[/p][embed guid="fe6acb79-b008-4502-83b8-2c17b650263f" url="https://x.com/Masandawana/status/2099823045812597193?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]African sides have won their last four matches against Asian opposition, including last year, when Egypt’s Pyramids defeated Al Ahli 3-1.[/p][p]In fact, African teams are unbeaten in their last eight clashes with Asian opposition (W7 D1), since Saudi side [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/al-hilal/hxxcePl9/"]Al Hilal[/a] beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/esperance-tunis/bVINpDMl/"]Espérance[/a] in 2019.[/p][p]Overall, though, Asia still lead the head-to-head 12-8 after dominating the early meetings.[/p][infobox id="584d9683-f419-4696-8cb3-c155213092a0" /]