Nine-man Sundowns force draw at African champions Wydad

CASABLANCA - Mamelodi Sundowns forced a 0-0 CAF Champions League semi-final draw at title-holders Wydad Casablanca of Morocco on Saturday despite ending the first leg with nine men.

The visiting club were reduced to 10 men on 43 minutes following a pitch-side VAR review by the Ghanaian referee of an incident in which Neo Maema stamped on a fallen opponent.

Chilean Marco Allende, who came off the bench with 12 minutes left, was shown a red card for a studs-up tackle after another VAR check having initially receiving a yellow one.

VAR played a pivotal role in a cagey clash with a Peter Shalulile goal for Sundowns on 10 minutes awarded by the match officials, then disallowed after a review.

The outcome was not surprising given the closeness of previous matches between the clubs in Casablanca with Wydad winning four by one-goal margins while another was drawn.

Sundowns host the return match in Pretoria next Saturday and will be slight favourites to reach a third final. They finished runners-up in 2001 and triumphed 15 years later.

The first half was dominated by the rival defences with each team managing only one shot on target from five attempts.

Sundowns showed no nerves despite having to contend not only with vastly experienced opponents but also an intimidating 45,000-plus crowd in the Stade Mohammed V.

The largely red-clad Moroccan supporters cheered and clapped every Wydad move while waving huge flags, and whistled and jeered virtually each time Sundowns gained possession.

It was the second match in charge of the Casablanca outfit for Belgian Sven Vandenbroeck, the fourth coach of the team this season after Spaniard Juan Carlos Garrido was sacked last week.

Star Wydad forward Bouly Sambou, the joint-leading Champions League scorer this season with seven goals, was well-policed by Sundowns.

The giant Senegalese blazed over from close range early in the second half before retiring injured after being fouled by Sundowns' Moroccan defender Abdelmounaim Boutouil.

Wydad substitute Zouhair el Moutaraji had a good chance to break the deadlock soon after, but was foiled by the outstretched right leg of goalkeeper Rowen Williams.