After Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates got unfavourable results in the first legs of the CAF Champions League semi-finals last Saturday, the Africa club rankings have been updated.
Sundowns, Mzansi's flagbearers in the Champions League League for several years now, could not secure a win on home soil against Al Ahly at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, following a goalless stalemate.
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They are the only club from the four African countries set to participate in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, having qualified via a rankings path, after Al Ahly, Esperance and Wydad qualified as previous winners of the Champions League.
Therefore, the rankings are no longer a mere formality but play a huge role in tournament football around the world.
The draw against the record champions proved damaging for The Brazilians on the rankings, as although they remained second according to a fresh update by Footballdatabase.com, they are now 40 points adrift of Al Ahly, who occupy first place.
They were only 25 points behind The Red Devils at the beginning of the quarterfinals of the Champions League, but the latter gained an upper hand after they won both legs against Al Hilal while their South African counterparts drew one and won one, against Esperance.
The Buccaneers, meanwhile, have dropped one place from eighth to ninth in Africa after their goalless draw against Pyramids FC at FNB Stadium.
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The CAF Champions League semi-final second leg encounters are slated for Friday evening, both taking place in Egypt.
