Mamelodi Sundowns head into Sunday’s CAF Champions League semi-final first leg away to Tunisian side Espérance de Tunis as favourites in many eyes, but history suggests this is an opponent they have often struggled to overcome.

The two sides are well acquainted, meeting in the CAF Champions League for a third consecutive season. Current Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso previously guided Espérance when they eliminated Sundowns at the semi-final stage in the 2023/24 campaign.

Sundowns did manage to strike back last season, knocking the Tunisians out in the quarter-finals after Cardoso had already moved on to take charge of them. However, victories over Espérance have been rare over the years.

Beyond their recent knockout encounters, the clubs have also faced each other three times in the group stages since their first meeting back in 2000.

That amounts to 10 meetings in total, with Mamelodi Sundowns winning just twice. Espérance de Tunis have claimed four victories, while the remaining four encounters have ended in draws—all of them goalless.

Across those 10 matches, Sundowns have scored six goals compared to Espérance’s seven. However, aside from the first two meetings, in which seven goals were shared between the sides, goals have been extremely scarce.

In the eight matches since then, only six goals have been scored in total.

Sundowns are yet to record an away win against Espérance (D3, L2), while their home record against the Tunisian side stands at two wins, two defeats, and one draw.