Twenty-one years after achieving their greatest feat in the CAF Champions League, Angola’s Petro de Luanda has once again qualified for the semi-finals of the competition, after drawing 1-1 during their visit to Mamelodi Sundowns in Johannesburg in the second leg of the quarterfinals.
The Angolan side won 2-1 at home to the South Africans.
This is the second time in their history that Petro de Luanda have reached the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League after losing to Mamelodi Sundowns in the same stage in 2001.
Both teams won their respective home matches 2-0, but in the penalty shootout, the South Africans won 5-3. Mamelodi Sundowns were then beaten in the final by Egyptian side Al-Ahly.
Meanwhile, an unusual occurrence took place during the April 23 match that ensured Petro's qualification.
Supporters of the home team's domestic rivals Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs joined the small band of Angolan away supporters, made up of students mobilised by the Angolan diplomatic mission, and cheered the Tricolores to victory.
In the other matches, Egypt’s Al-Ahly drew 1-1 against Morocco’s Raja Casablanca, but the Egyptians qualified as they had won the first leg 2-1.
While Algeria’s ES Setif, who had drawn 0-0 against Espérance de Tunis in the first leg, won 0-1 when they travelled to Tunisia.
The CAF semi-finals have thus been confirmed with the presence of Al Ahly of Egypt and Antant Setif of Algeria, Petro de Luanda of Angola and Wydad of Casablanca of Morocco.
The first leg of the semi-finals of the African Champions League football club competition takes place on May 6 in Luanda, Angola, when Petro de Luanda take on Wydad of Casablanca.
Al Ahly and ES Setif will square off on May 7 at Cairo International Stadium in the Egyptian capital.
