CAFCL: Sundowns fan recounts how he rescued Espérance counterpart

Photo Credit - Mamelodi Sundowns Media.

Mamelodi Sundowns supporter Siboniso Masango, who rescued his Espérance de Tunis counterpart from falling off a stand at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria on Tuesday, recounted the Tunisian's narrow escape from the jaws of death.

In Sundowns Podcast, Masango said he rushed to pull the Espérance de Tunis fan during the brawl that ensued after the CAF Champions League quarterfinal, first-leg match in South Africa.

In an audio capturing the incident, the Sundowns supporter is overheard saying: “I said was not going to let you go” with his counterpart sobbing while saying: “You saved my life man!”

In the Podcast interview, Masango said he acted to save a life as the visiting supporter was on the brink of falling off the edge of the stand.

“He pleaded with me that my brother ‘please don’t do it’. I said: ‘No, no I won’t let you go. Please I won’t let you go’. I had a heartfelt moment. We both cried in each others’ arms,” he said.

Masango has since urged fellow supporters to use football as a vehicle for promoting happiness and togetherness instead of fighting.

“No football match is worth dying over. No football match is worth fighting over. Whatever happened yesterday was just mind-boggling. Let us enjoy the game, let us make jokes, and let us laugh but violence? No,” he added.

Photo-journalist Samuel Shivambu of BackpagePix captured the moment of the Esperance fan dangling dangerously with the risk of falling off from the height of the stadium stand.

Shivambu told Pan-Africa Football how the Espérance fan found himself in such a dangerous position while running away from the fight.

"After the match, there was fighting. I saw it and I started taking pictures. One of the Espérance fans started running away from the fight and found himself in that position until one of the fans came to his rescue. That was a dangerous position," he said.

Sundowns won the CAF Champions League quarter-final first-leg match courtesy of Peter Shalulile's goal.