Goals from Themba Zwane and Thapelo Morena ensured Mamelodi Sundowns solidified their semi final spot in the Total Energies CAF Champions League as they brushed aside CR Belouizdad by 2-1 on Saturday afternoon.
The visitors started the first half off at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, looking determined and energetic in their attempts to find an early opener, but no goal came off their efforts. Masandawana worked their way from the defense to regain possession from their opponents and were successful in their attempts, Peter Shalulile crossed the ball into the box to find Thapelo Morena, but the winger could not capitalize.
Downs held on to the ball for a majority of the opening half looking for spaces to play the ball forward, eventually Teboho Mokoena took a long shot from the left side of the pitch looking to find Morena who was marked upfront and couldn’t get away from his man. The Brazilians looked to use their individual brilliance to break the defense of the Algerians, ThembaZwane used his skills to push forward into the box when he was brought down by Chouhaib Keddad.
Mokoena and Zwane combined their passes and outplayed the midfield to combine with Maema who took a chance at goal when his long shot effort went inches past the woodwork. Towards the twentieth minute Zwane had an opportunity in the box when he eliminated the defenders, but was let down by his final control as he tried to bring the ball to his other foot to place a shot. A few minutes after Masandawana’s threats, Belouizdad took the lead when Downs failed to clear out the corner kick placed into the box. Sofiane Bouchar scored for the visitors and put his side in good standing.
Peter Shalulile fouled in the box as the clock reached thirty minutes and the referee consulted with the VAR but he concluded that no penalty would be awarded for the home side and play resumed. Approaching half time, Sipho Mbule tried to find Zwane in the box, but the ball was cleared out by the solid defense of the Algerians. Bafana Ba Style remained relentless all the way and grabbed an equalizer with an absolute blockbuster at the brink of half time.
Khuliso Mudau regained possession after they had lost the ball and passed it to Modiba who found Zwane and the midfielder put the ball against Alexis Guendouz.
Both teams walked into the tunnel on level matters with a goal each side, but Masandawana took an early lead three minutes back into the second half through Morena with a header from Mudau’s cross. The build up to the goal started with Zwane who played the ball to Neo Maema in hopes that he would shoot, but when Maema didn’t shoot and was undecided about shooting, Maema passed the ball back to Zwane who gave it to Mudau as the defender whipped in a cross towards the box.
Bafana Ba Style looked to have found their rhythm early into the match, Zwane released a long shot towards goal and hit just over the top of the posts. The Algerian side looked to carve chances of their own but Abdoul Boutouil made great intervention with his tackle to stop CRB from going forward when they looked to attack from a build up at the back. After a few moments of both teams having a go at each other, The Brazilians held on to the ball, rotating it from the middle to the back while trying to break down the wall of Belouizdad.
First substitution of the game for Masandawana happened just after an hour of play, Sphelele Mkhulise stepped on the field for Mbule and three more substitutions were made later in the game. An incredible spectacle from Morena, Mkhulise and Shalulile in attack occurred when Shalulile finally laid the ball for Modiba to take a shot, but the attempt tipped slightly over the posts. Bongani Zungu, Gaston Sirino and Lebohang Maboe exchanged places with Mudau, Shalulile and Mokoena. Center back Rushine De Reuck also came in for Maema in the last ten minutes of the match.
Downs went on to boss the last quarter of the second half with narrow chances at goal that nearly saw them extend their lead, but the battle with the Algerian Champions ended in 2-1 as the Tshwane giants advanced into the semi final with a 6-2 aggregate.
This is how we lined:
Williams, Mbule (67′ Mkhulise), Mudau (75′ Maboe), Morena, Mvala, Modiba, Mokoena (75′ Zungu), Zwane, Maema (82′ De Reuck), Boutouil, Shalulile (75′ Sirino).
Subs:
- Onyango, De Reuck, Lebusa, Zungu, Sirino, Maboe, Mkhulise, Mashego, Kutumela
