Wydad AC Beats Angola's Petro Atletico 3-1, Moves Closer to CAF Champions League Final

Rabat – Wydad AC edges closer to the final of the prestigious African football competition after a well-deserved 3-1 win against Petro Atletico in the first leg of the CAF Champions League semi-final.

The breathless game took place at the Estadio 11 de Novembro in Talatona, Angola.

Struggling against a mid-day scorching sun, Wydad AC players attempted to score early in the game and put pressure on their Angolese opponents.

This ambition was translated into reality following an own goal scored in the 16th minute by Petro Atletico midfielder Tiago Azuloo.

Satisfied with an early away goal, the visitors appeared to resort to defending their lead.

Wydad AC’s defense fought well against Petro Atletico’s continuous attempts to score an equalizer. Both the defensive line and the goalkeeper stood tall in front of the Angolese players who, accompanied by their fans’ relentless support, tried to make an early comeback in the game.

Still, Wydad AC players’ determination to maintain their away win was further cemented in the last minute before the referee whistled the end of the first half.

In the 45th minute, Wydad AC midfielder Yahya Jabrane scored the second goal after a brillant assist from the squad’s star player, Aymane Hassouni.

With this comfortable 2-0 lead, the Moroccan players oozed discernible joy and contentment as they headed to the dressing room.

Fresh off the tunnels, Petro Atletico players pushed hard against the Moroccan club’s solid defense.

The Angolese team dominated the play during the first minutes of the second half, unrelentingly trying to reduce the overall score. But their relentless attempts died as they hit the walls of Wydad’s strong and well-compact defensive setup.

As the grueling game progressed, the Moroccan club gained more and more confidence, focusing on quick counter-attacks to break through Petro Atletico defense.

Wydad AC’s swift and fatal attacks proved fruitful in the 68th minute, with striker Guy Mbenza scoring the Moroccan club’s third goal following a beautiful team build up.

Happy with the result, Wydad AC grew more relaxed, giving the Angolese squad the opportunity to get closer to the Wydad AC goalkeeper.

With one shot after the other, Petro Atletico succeeded in scoring a consolation goal with a well-taken header at the 81st minute.

Energized by that goal, the Angolese team started to put more pressure on Wydad, launching a full scale attack to further reduce the Moroccan club’s away lead.

But the late-minute assaults bore no fruits, and Wydad players let out a collective sigh after clinching an important, hard-fought victory away from their home pitch.

The 3-1 result means Wydad AC has taken a significant step towards the CAF Champions League final ahead of the second leg at the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca.