Mamelodi Sundowns kicked off their Caf Champions League campaign with a tight 1-0 win over Al Hilal in their group stage opener at Royal Bafokeng Stadium on Friday night.

The Brazilians made five changes to the team that beat Chippa United on Monday as shot-stopper Denis Onyango, Lyle Lakay, Gaston Sirino, Khuliso Mudau and Pavol Safranko all came into the team.

The home side got the game off to the perfect start as Themba Zwane latched onto a poor back pass to go through on goal and calmly find the bottom corner to hand his side the lead with just eight minutes on the clock.

Downs were then handed a blow as Gaston Sirino was forced off on a stretcher after a heavy ariel challenge, but his replacement Thapelo Morena nearly made an instant impact as he was slipped through on goal by Zwane but Saeed Ahmed came rushing back to block Morena’s goal bound effort.

Downs through struggled to create clear cut chances in the remainder of the half but still looked a threat on the counter.

The away side were looking to get back into the game in the second half but both sides were struggling to create any clear-cut chances with Lyle Lakay’s long range free kick the only effort on goal in the opening 20 minutes of the second goal.

The Sudanese side almost got back into the game from a set-piece, but Zwane was well positioned to head the ball off the line.

The visitors continued to ask the Sundowns defence questions and thought they had the equaliser when they had the ball in the back of the net in the closing stages, but the referee had already blown his whistle for a foul on Onyango in the build-up.

New Downs signing Erwin Saavedra came on for his debut in the last couple of minutes and showed glimpses of his potential as the Brazilians managed to hold on for the three points and get their group stage career up and running.