Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa easily defeated Nouadhibou of Mauritania 3-0 in the CAF Champions League on Sunday thanks to goals from Brazilian Lucas Ribeiro, Namibian Peter Shalulile, and Uruguayan Gaston Sirino.
After 23 minutes of play in a 35 degree heat-filled Group A first round match in Pretoria, Ribeiro blasted into the corner of the net.
Five minutes later, Shalulile scored the second goal at Loftus Versfeld, the 52 000-seat stadium that Sundowns shares with the Bulls rugby side, without facing any opposition.
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Twenty minutes into the game, Babacar Diop, the Mauritanian goalkeeper, was sent off for rashly fouling Sirino, who went on to score from the ensuing free-kick.
Given the significant difference in performance between Sundowns and Nouadhibou in African competitions, the result was expected.
In addition to winning the Champions League in 2016, Sundowns advanced to the round of sixteen in six of the subsequent seven competitions. Two weeks ago, they also became victorious in the first African Football League.
Nouadhibou, who have missed seven chances to qualify, are making their group stage debut in the 16-club competition.
In the other Group A encounter on Friday, South African Fagrie Lakay’s goal helped Pyramids of Egypt defeat TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of the Congo 1-0 in Cairo.