Shongwe’s remarks follow a remarkable first-half hat-trick by Ronnel Donnelly, leading Sundowns to a 4-1 triumph over Uganda’s Kawempe Muslim Ladies on Wednesday, thus securing their place in the 2026 tournament final set to take place in Egypt.

The South African champions showcased an impressive offensive performance at the Suez Canal Stadium in Ismailia, netting four goals before halftime, effectively ending Kawempe’s dream debut. Donnelly’s hat-trick came in a mere eight minutes, with goals at the 29th, 35th, and 37th minutes, before Noxolo Cesane completed the first-half scoring right before the interval.

Kawempe managed to score a consolation goal through Latifah Nakasi at the 72-minute mark, but they were unable to recover from Sundowns’ dominant first-half performance.

This victory extends Sundowns’ impressive unbeaten streak to 21 matches across all competitions and sets up a significant final clash against reigning champions AS FAR from Morocco on Sunday, 15 November. Both teams have won the title twice; Sundowns claimed their trophies in 2021 and 2023, while AS FAR’s victories came in 2022 and 2025—making Sunday’s match critical for establishing the most victorious club in the tournament’s six-year history.

This final is reminiscent of last season’s men’s CAF Champions League finale, where Sundowns triumphed over AS FAR 2-1 on aggregate to clinch their second continental title.

Despite the convincing score in the semi-final, Shongwe believes there is still room for growth prior to the title match on Sunday.

“We need to enhance our decision-making in the final third,” Shongwe stated. “Additionally, we must focus on winning those second balls and converting every opportunity that arises to ease the pressure on the midfield and boost the team’s offensive play.”

Under the guidance of club legend Godfrey Sapula, the 2007 PSL Footballer of the Season, Sundowns Ladies implemented a high-pressing strategy from the get-go—a tactic that Cesane lauded for their quick start.

“The match was highly competitive,” remarked Cesane, who scored the fourth goal for Sundowns. “It demonstrated that both teams were keen on this victory and a spot in the final. We approached each game as though it were a final, so I believe we performed remarkably well in this semi-final.”

“The coach instructed us to make our opponents uncomfortable—pushing forward, scoring early, and managing the game so that we could regroup in case they fought back,” she added. “It was a challenging match, but our desire outweighed everything else.”