JOHANNESBURG — Petro de Luanda held tournament favourites Mamelodi Sundowns to a 1-1 draw in Johannesburg as the Angolan outfit booked a place in the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League with a 3-2 aggregate score.
Morocca’s Wydad Athletic Club held off pressure from CR Belouizdad of Algeria to play to a barren draw at the Mohamed V Complex in Casablanca and book a slot in the semi-final with a 1-0 aggregate score.
In a dramatic tie at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, Tiago Azulao’s VAR awarded penalty secured a draw for Petro after Brian Mandela had put Sundowns ahead in the 49th minute.
Themba Zwane missed a penalty for Sundowns before Kenyan Brian Onyango gave them an early second-half lead that lasted 15 minutes before Brazilian Azulao levelled from another spot-kick.
It was a shock outcome as Sundowns, after winning home and away against title-holders Al-Ahly of Egypt during the group stage, was favoured to win the southern African showdown.
Apart from the group achievements of Sundowns, doubts had been raised about the defensive strength of Petro after a 5-1 hammering by Wydad Casablanca of Morocco in their last away outing.
Petro qualified 3-2 on aggregate after a 2-1 home win last weekend and now face Wydad or Chabab Belouizdad of Algeria, who play later on Saturday.
Title-holders Al-Ahly of Egypt will meet Entente Setif of Algiera in the other semi-final, with the first-legs scheduled for May 6-7 and the return matches for May 13-14.
The single-match final of the premier African club competition, which carries a $2.5 million first prize, is set for May 29 at a venue yet to be announced.
Sundowns also had a first half VAR awarded penalty, bit Zwane missed, while Petro had a goal in the second half also chalked out after a lengthy VAR check, the technology being used for the first time in the quarter final of the Champions League.
Masandawana were favourites for a second continental trophy after an envious run in the group phase, but the 2-1 defeat in the first leg hurt them the most as they could not overturn the defeat at home.
In the opening half, they had two golden chances falling on two of their best players. In the seventh minute, Peter Shalulile picked up a short backpass inside the box, but his eventual shot flew over the bar.
The home side had another close chance in the 26th minute when Neo Maema took a snap shot on the half volley at the edge of the box which went inches over.
Sundowns had a massive opportunity to head to the break a goal up when they were awarded a penalty following a VAR check after Joaquim Balanga was adjudged to have fouled Zwane inside the box.
The striker stepped on to take the spotkick, but saw his effort grease the outside of the bar and wide.
In the second half though, they had a perfect start when Kenyan defender Onyango struck them ahead after four minutes. The burly centreback tapped home from the edge of the six yard box after the keeper had spilled a freekick from Lyle Lakay.
Wydad survives Belouizdad pressure
Wydad Athletic Club held off pressure from CR Belouizdad to play to a barren draw at the Mohamed V Complex in Casablanca on Saturday and book a slot in the semi-final of the CAF Champions League with a 1-0 aggregate score.
The Moroccan giants had won 1-0 in the first leg in Algiers last weekend and that result proved to be the decider. They have now earned a date with Petro de Luanda in the semis, a side they thrashed 5-1 when they met in the last match of the group phase.
A last minute VAR check caused moments of tension for Wydad when the referee had to go to the pitch-side monitor to check whether keeper Ahmed Reda Tagnaouti had fouled Ahmed Ait Abdesslem as they battled for a cross.
However, the whole stadium, packed to the rafters, breathed a collective sigh of relief as the referee whistled play on after the on-pitch review.
This was just after Belouizdad had been reduced to 10 men at the stroke of 90 minutes after another VAR review saw goalkeeper Toufik Moussaoui red carded for a retaliatory push on the face on Wydad’s Muaid Ellafi.
With the Algerians having exhausted their substitutions, skipper Chemseddine Nessakh moved from the left side of defence into goal for the five minutes of added time, CAFonline reported..
It had been a hugely competitive game over both halves with Belouizdad hugely determined to overturn the result from the first leg. They had a 19th minute chance when a clearance from the Wydad keeper bounced off Kheiredine Merzougui but defender Amine Farhane recovered well to clear a yard off the line.
In the 21st minute, Merzougui floated in a corner at the near post met by Chouaib Keddad, but the defender’s flicked header flew inches wide.
In the second half, Wydad who were pushed hard by the visitors in the opening half tried to be more adventurous moving forward.
They had chances with Zouheir El Moutaraji’s shot from distance comfortably saved by the keeper while Aymane El Hassouni’s low effort from distance was also pushed away by the keeper.
But towards the final quarter of an hour, Belouizdad turned the pressure on their hosts and they were denied by the woodwork seven minutes to time when Karim Aribi’s header from the edge of the six yard box off a Mohamed Bakir cross coming off the upright.
The Algerians piled in the pressure, but Wydad held on to remain on course for a third Champions League title.
