By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Mamelodi Sundowns beat Young Africans 3-2 in a penalty shootout to advance to the semi-final of the CAF Champions League at Loftus Versveld on Friday evening.
Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams was once again the hero, as he saved two penalties to secure Sundowns passage into the last four.
In total, Yanga missed three of their kicks while Marcelo Allende, Lucas Ribeiro and Neo Maema made no mistake from the spot.
Both teams couldn’t be separated over the two legs as the tie finished 0-0 on aggregate. Even the return of Themba Zwane, who was back from suspension, couldn’t inspire the Brazilians to break the stubborn Yanga defence.
Aziz Ki, however, can claim to have found the back of the net with an audacious strike just before the hour mark.
Television replays showed that the ball crossed the line, but referee Dahana Beida – with the guidance of the video assistant referee – ruled that the ball didn’t cross the back of the net, much to the frustration of the Tanzanians.
Beida didn’t even bother to check the ball for himself, with the message relayed to him via his earpiece.
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Aziz Ki’s thunderous effort off the crossbar is adjudged not to have crossed the line.
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That goal shook Sundowns’ to the core, with the Brazilians far from their best against an organised and resolute Young Africans. But in the end, Sundowns’ experience came to the fore – with the Tshwane side holding their nerves in the shootout.
Sundowns will now face either Esperance of Tunisia or Ivory Coast’s Asec Mimosas in the semi-final.