Sundowns end 74-match unbeaten home record of Mazembe
South African club Mamelodi Sundowns ended the 74-match unbeaten home record in African competitions of Democratic Republic of Congo team TP Mazembe with a 2-1 CAF Champions League victory Saturday.
Set-piece specialist Lyle Lakay scored direct from a free-kick with 20 seconds of regular time remaining to earn the Pretoria outfit a famous win in southern Congolese city Lubumbashi.
Namibian Peter Shalulile put 2016 African champions Sundowns ahead on 67 minutes as Mazembe players appealed for offside in a spectator-less stadium due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Veteran Tresor Mputu, widely regarded as one of the greatest African footballers never to play in Europe, levelled on 82 minutes by punishing defensive hesitancy from Mosa Lebusa.
“We prepared extremely well for this match against great opponents,” Sundowns joint head coach Manqoba Mngqithi told AFP after becoming the first South African club to win in Lubumbashi.
“The boys entered the match brimming with confidence born out of going 22 domestic and international matches without defeat since last October.
“I am unsure why we were not awarded a goal in the first half after putting the ball in the net,” added the successor to Pitso Mosimane, who joined Egyptian and African giants Al Ahly last September.
Five-time African champions Mazembe last lost a home CAF match in October 2009, going down 2-0 to Al Hilal of Sudan in a Champions League semi-final.
Since that shock loss, the Ravens won 61 matches, drawn 13, scored 166 goals and conceded 34 in Champions League, Confederation Cup and Super Cup matches before facing Sundowns.
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Success took Sundowns to a maximum nine points from three matches at the halfway stage in Group B while Mazembe, Hilal and CR Belouizdad of Algeria have two each.
On a good day for South Africa, third-place Kaizer Chiefs won for the first time in Group C with goals from Eric Mathoho and Happy Mashiane delivering a 2-0 victory over Angolan visitors Petro Atletico.