All to do for Sundowns and Young Africans in the second leg

Young Africans dug deep to hold Mamelodi Sundowns to a 0-0 draw during their lively Champions League quarterfinal clash at a packed Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium on Saturday night. 

This share of the spoils in Tanzania has left this two-legged tie tantalizingly poised and they both have all to do in the second leg at Loftus on Friday where a winner must be produced. 

Young Africans coach Miguel Gamondi will probably the happier as ‘Yanga’ didn’t concede at home and they have an opportunity of finding the all-important away goal in Pretoria.

Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena will be quick to point out they have home ground advantage and history points to the fact that they are usually ruthless at Loftus or Lucas Moripe Stadium in the Champions League.

Mokwena started this match with Ronwen Williams, Teboho Mokoena and Grant Kekana who featured for Bafana Bafana during the Fifa Series friendly matches against Andorra and Algeria. 

Of the Bafana contingent from Algeria, Thapelo Morena made it to the bench and there was no place for Terrence Mashego and the influential Themba Zwane in the match-day squad. 

In the absence of Zwane, Mokwena handed the captain’s armband to Mokoena who nearly stole it at the death but his free-kick from the edge of the box went over the cross-bar. 

Sundowns suffered a huge blow when vastly experienced midfielder Bongani Zungu was stretched off the field after ten minutes following a collision with a Young Africans player and he was replaced by Aubrey Modiba. 

In the first half, Sundowns had their moments on the attack with Peter Shalulile, Lucas Ribeiro, Marcelo Allende and Thembinkosi Lorch constant thorns on the side of Young Africans. 

The home side also threatened at times and most of their attacks were aimed at star attacker Stephane Aziz Ki who was supported by Kennedy Musonda, Faridi Shah and Maxi Mzengeli. 

Young Africans have a good chance of taking the lead after 68 minutes but attacker Clement Mzize was denied by alert Williams who moved out of his line to make a clearance. 

Deep into referee’s optional time, Sundowns had a chance to steal a win but Mokoena’s free-kick on the edge of the penalty box flew over the box as Yanga held to this important draw.