Cape Town City lose CAF Champions League at Angola

Cape Town City failed to qualify for the group stage of the CAF Champions League during their maiden voyage into continental play.

City lost 1-0 to Petro De Luanda in the second leg of their second preliminary round match on Friday evening at the Estádio 11 de Novembro in Luanda.

Combined with their 3-0 loss in the first leg, this resulted in a 4-0 aggregate loss for City, who were eliminated. The draw for City’s opponents in the second preliminary round of the CAF Confederation Cup will take place on Tuesday.

City made six substitutions to the lineup that lost 3-0 in the first leg. The run-on XI included Mpho Makola, Mduduzi Mdantsane, Thabo Nodada, Wayde Lekay, Jordan Bender, and Relebogile Mokhuoane.

The first half finished scoreless despite scoring opportunities for both teams. Tiago Azulao, a Brazilian midfielder for Petro De Luanda, came closest to scoring with a great attempt. Four minutes before halftime, however, City defender Taariq Fielies cleared the shot from the goal line.

Midfielder Mpho Makola and Gambian forward Kajally Drammeh missed City’s finest scoring opportunities throughout the first half. In the 35th minute, Makola fired a close-range free kick over the crossbar. Drammeh’s shot, City’s first attempt on goal in the match, was saved by Hugo Marques, a former City goalkeeper and last season’s PSL Goalkeeper of the Year, for Petro De Luanda.

Both teams got numerous scoring opportunities in the second half. Both sides were not penalized for handball violations.

Two minutes before the final whistle, Petro De Luanda’s substitute Leandro Cabibi scored with a solo effort after he scooped up a weak clearance and tiptoed by the defense before putting the ball wide of City goalkeeper Darren Keet’s reach.

This extremely accomplished Angolan team has advanced to the group stage of the continent’s premier club championship. They did well to reach the semifinals last year.