Bidvest pay penalty as Primeiro de Agosto go through
Angola’s Primero De Agosto secured a historic place at the group stage for the first time since 1997 following a hard-fought victory over Bidvest Wits of South Africa at the Bidvest Stadium on Saturday evening.
The 3-2 victory on penalties did not come easy for the visitors after a brilliant strike from Mozambican-import Elias Pelembe in the 80th minute forced the tie into penalties.
Primeiro came into the match at the back of a 1-0 first leg win at home and had it all to do against their more fancied opponents.
A solid game plan by coach, Dauto Faquira frustrated Gavin Hunt’s men who could not break down the stubborn defence of the visitors. Even with the backing of the crowd, Bidvest hardly troubled the Angolans who remained resolute in defence.
A good move from Reeve Frosler in the 30th minute almost troubled the visitors, but his well taken cross was cut out by the stretching hand of the keeper. Minutes later, the ever-green Sifiso Hlanti did well to find his captain, Thulani Hlatshwayo with a good cross but his header lacked the required accuracy.
Primeiro almost stretched their aggregate lead at the stroke of half time when Bokamba Lompala found himself one on one with the keeper who did well to come out and block the angle to make the save and keep his side in the game.
Bidvest’s target man, Lehlogonolo Majoro who had a disappointing game squandered a golden chance in the 68th minute with just the keeper, volleying wide.
With just 10 minutes to go, it was Pelembe who found the back of the net with a well taken strike from the edge of the box that found the top right corner to send the game to penalties.
The game could have been sealed before penalties for Bidvest after substitute, Daine Klate laid the ball off for Majoro who failed to read the situation in time as the keeper easily gathered the ball.
It was then left to penalties to decide the game which went the way of the visitors with a 3-2 victory
Fixtures/Results
Saturday, 17 March 2018
Williamsville (Cote d’Ivoire) vs Wydad (Morocco) (2-7)
CF Mounana (Gabon) 1-3
MC Alger (Algeria) vs MFM (Nigeria) (1-2)
Generation Foot (Senegal) vs Horoya (Guinea) (1-2)
Township Rollers (Botswana) vs Young Africans (Tanzania) (2-1)
UD Songo (Mozambique) 3-0
Bidvest (South Africa) 1-0 (2-3pen)
Sunday, 18 March 2018
ES Setif (Algeria) vs Aduana (Ghana) (1-0)
Esperance (Tunisia) vs Gor Mahia (Kenya) (0-0)
Plateau United (Nigeria) vs Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia) (2-4)
El Hilal (Sudan) vs AS Togo (Togo) (0-2)
ASEC Mimosas (Cote d’Ivoire) vs Zesco (Zambia) (1-0)
AS Vita (DR Congo) vs Difaa El Jadidi (Morocco) (0-1)
Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) vs Rayon Sport (Rwanda) (0-0)
*Teams in bold through to next round