Contrasting emotions for SuperSport and Sundowns

There were contrasting emotions for the two South African clubs left in continental club competition as SuperSport United booked a first-ever semifinal place in the African Confederation Cup but Mamelodi Sundowns had their dream of retaining the African Champions League shattered.

Sundowns snatched progress to the last four with a dramatic last gasp goal from Thuso Phala against Zesco United in Ndola‚ prompting Eric Tinkler to tell TimesLIVE: “I’m very proud of the boys‚ they fought hard and showed great character and getting that late winner was extremely satisfied.

“It was a nerve-wracking finish and in the latter stages the referee wasn’t doing anything to help us and they were looking to waste time.

"That is what made it so gratifying to win in the way we did.

“The boys just kept going.

"We need to go there‚ I had said before it would be a fight and it was.

"And the boys fought the whole way.”

Sundowns lost on Saturday night on post match penalties to Wydad Casablanca after three shocking kicks from Percy Tau‚ Yannick Zakri and Bangaly Soumaharo – who all took short run ups and hit their efforts off target.

The tie ended 1-1 on aggregate after Sundowns’ slender lead from the first leg in Atteridgeville was quickly cancelled out by their Moroccan hosts in Rabat. - TimesLIVE