FC Platinum eliminated from CAF Champions League

FC Platinum are out of the CAF Champions League after losing 5-4 on penalties to Angolan side Sagrada Esperança in the preliminary round fixture played at the National Sports Stadium on Saturday.

The tie had ended without goals after another draw in the first leg last week.

The visitors dominated possession in the opening moments of the game but created a few meaningful chances. 

The Platinum Boys, on the other end, only showed flashes of intent and never came full-blown until after the half-hour mark. Their first real opportunity fell on Rodwell Chinyengetere’s way, but his header went an inch wide.

Gift Mbweti followed up with a glorious chance a few moments later but could not keep his effort low enough, and the ball went straight to hit the crossbar.

Nomore Chinyerere also had a good opportunity and, again, his effort could not separate the teams going into the break.

Esperanca set an early pace in the second half and almost grabbed the lead on the restart when Manuel Ngalula da Cunha’s shot missed the target.

But Norman Mapeza’s charges soon settled their nerves, and Chinyerere had a good chance, only for his shot to be tipped over by the goalkeeper.

However, the tempo soon toned down on both ends, with the goalmouth incidents becoming few and far between.

It was until the 77th minute when the visitors came close to the goal, but a brilliant save from Petros Mhari plus a block on the rebound by Donald Dzvinyai kept the game level.

Later on, Chinyengetere could have buried the match with a glorious opportunity on the 89th minute but was denied by the keeper, both on his first attempt and the rebound.  

The tie ended without goals and was to be decided by a penalty shootout.

The visitors converted all their kicks while FC Platinum missed one through Chinyengetere to lose the shootout 5-4.

Pic Credit: FC Platinum

 

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