Mamelodi Sundowns lost 2-1 to Petro de Luanda in the first leg of the CAF Champions League quarter-finals at Estádio 11 de Novembro on Saturday night.
Sundowns got off to a comfortable start with five minutes played after Lyle Lakay’s curling free kick left the defensive wall and was deflected into the bottom corner.
The lead only lasted ten minutes when Tiago Azulao dodged a tackle in the center of the box to play a cross with the side foot past the stretching Denis Onyango.
Sundowns launched an attack after that and should have regained the lead in the closing stages at half-time when Themba Zwane found the post after a brace with Peter Shalulile miscuing the rebound.
It was luck that haunted Masandawana after Petro executed the last attack of the half through Yano’s scrum to make it 2-1 as the visitors failed to manage the cross inside the box.
Sundowns thought they had equalized in stoppage time via a curler from Neo Maema, but after review by the video assistant referee (VAR) it was ruled out following a foul in the build-up.
