Sundowns see two reds but survive Wydad onslaught to earn hard-fought CAF Champions League draw

Mamelodi Sundowns had to put their silks and minks to the side and activate survival mode to earn an invaluable 0-0 draw with Wydad Casablanca at the Mohamed V Stadium in Morocco on Saturday.

Sundowns saw two players sent off and a goal disallowed all through video assistant referee (VAR) intervention in the CAF Champions League first leg clash.

The Brazilians were in the game for much of it before matters turned for the worst from the 41st minute onwards.

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Namibian hitman Peter Shalulile thought he got Sundowns off to a dream start after nine minutes when he latched onto a Neo Maema through ball but his finish was ruled out by VAR for offside.

The hosts had a few dangerous entries into the Sundowns red zone but couldn’t produce a shot to test Ronwen Williams in the Downs goal.

At the other end, Themba Zwane made a hash of a good Sundowns counter-attack when he blasted a right foot shot miles over the bar.

Both teams tough, aside from the Shalulile disallowed goal, looked like they were feeling each other out, reticent to go for a wild swing, lest they get caught themselves. It was a tentative start by the two African heavyweights.

Disaster struck for Sundowns minutes before half-time when Maema was sent off for what was deemed as a stamp by the midfielder on Wydad defender Amine Aboulfath.

Maema seemed to be evading Aboulfath’s sliding tackle but landed with his studs on the centre back’s ribs. Ghanaian Referee Daniel Laryea was asked to look at the VAR monitor and came back to brandish a red card against Maema, leaving the men in yellow on 10 players.

Sundowns survived with a man down for the rest of the first half but it was