CAF Champions League Review: Sundowns out as Wydad, Al Ahly, USM through to the semis
African champions Mamelodi Sundowns crashed out of the CAF Champions League at the quarter-final stage as they lost on penalties to Wydad Casablanca.
After winning 1-0 in Pretoria, the holders needed just a draw in the return leg to book a semi-final spot, but instead lost by the same scoreline to take the tie to a shoot-out, which they lost 3-2.
Sundowns led when Amine Attouchi was denied from the spot, but Percy Tau then missed, Yannick Zakri saw his effort saved and late substitute Soumahoro Bangaly blazed over to spark scenes of mass celebration among the Wydad support.
Al Ahly – the competition’s most successful club – got through to the last four after coming from behind at ES Tunis to secure a 4-3 aggregate win.
The Egyptian champions drew 2-2 in their home leg and then fell behind to Taha Khenissi’s penalty on the road, but second-half strikes from Ali Maaloul and Junior Ajayi secured safe passage to the semi-finals.
They are joined there by USM Alger, who played out a goalless draw at home to Ferroviario to progress on away goals and set up a meeting with Wydad.
The two sides had drawn 1-1 in Mozambique a week earlier.
Etoile du Sahel and Al Ahly Tripoli meet in the final last-eight tie on Sunday, having drawn the first leg 0-0.
