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The first period saw both sides calmly cancel out each other with little to write home about, but the game came to life in the second half with both teams finding the back of the net.
It was a somber mood at full time at the Loftus Versfeld stadium on Saturday afternoon as Wydad Casablanca advanced to the CAF Champions League final on away goals rule following a 2-2 draw against Mamelodi Sundowns.
The first period saw both sides calmly cancel out each other with little to write home about, but the game came to life in the second half with both teams finding the back of the net.
Midfielder and captain Themba Zwane gave the home side the lead in the 50th minute pouncing on a poorly cleared ball by the Wydad backline to slot home and send the crowd into wild celebrations.
Wydad’s in-form Senegalese forward Bouly Junior Sambou, with seven goals in ten games, was a shadow of himself.
Still, the visitors had other options, like Zouhair El Moutaraji, who could have levelled the tie in the 70th minute; but Ronwen Williams made a great save.
Sven Vandenbroeck’s charges finally made amends a minute later when Ayoub El Amloud headed home in a tight angle to level the tie at 1-1.
However, Sundowns didn't give up; Peter Shalulile then slotted home Thapelo Morena’s cross on the left to restore the home side’s lead in the 79th minute.
Sundowns bottled it with seven minutes left when Mothobi Mvala headed Yahia Attiyat Allah’s free-kick into his net to level the tie once more at 2-2.
With Wydad sure about advancing to the final on the away goals rule, they held on even with seven minutes of added time.
It’s Wydad’s second straight final, having won the previous edition defeating Al Ahly 2-0 in the one-legged final; the two sides will square off again, but this time in a two-legged final.
Al Ahly will host the first leg on 4th June in Egypt before Wydad hosts the return leg seven days later in Morocco.
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