Mamelodi Sundowns and Young Africans played to a goalless draw in their CAF Champions League quarter-final first leg on Saturday night.
CAF Champions League
Result: Young Africans 0-0 Mamelodi Sundowns
Date: 30 March 2024
Venue: Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium
Sundowns were boosted by the return of Lucas Ribeiro Costa, Khuliso Mudau, Mosa Lebusa and Peter Shalulile, as four changes from their draw against SuperSport United.
Yanga made their intentions clear from the word go after Clement Mzize tested goalkeeper Ronwen Williams within the first minute but Williams was equal to the task.
The Brazilians could not settle in the game with the hosts' high intensity pressing and they had a casualty on 13 minutes after Bongani Zungu could not continue due to injury and he was replaced by Aubrey Modiba.
The Tanzanian giants continued to hurry Sundowns on the ball and showed a lot of attacking ambitions, which limited the Brazilians' usual rhythm on the ball.
Rulani Mokwena's charges only started to get out of their shell towards the end of the first stanza and Costa had a chance to break the deadlock on the stroke of half-time with a low shot across goal that was saved by goalkeeper Djigui Diarra.
The game continued to be tightly contested from the break, with chances hard to come by.
However, Yanga looked more promising going forward and with 21 minutes to go, Mzize had a big chance after he was played through on goal but fired his shot straight at Williams in a one-on-one.
Mokwena made a double tactical change immediately after that, as Sphelele Mkhulise and Thapelo Morena both entered the field in places of Mosa Lebusa and Costa.
The game was on the edge in the closing minutes and both sides looked to steal a victory and Teboho Mokoena had last-gasp chance for Sundowns from a free-kick that sailed slightly over the crossbar.
The encounter finished still deadlocked and the winner of the tie on aggregate will be decided in the second-leg next week Friday in Pretoria.
Here's how they lined up:
Mamelodi Sundowns: Williams, Lebusa, Kekana, Zungu, Mudau, Lunga, Mokoena, Lorch, Allende, Riberio, Shalulile
Subs: D. Onyango, Esquivel, Modiba, Aubaas, Mkhulise, Morena, Maseko, Mvala, Matthews
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