Angolan giants Petro de Luanda have sealed a place in the 2019/2020 CAF Champions League group stages following a 1-1 away draw against KCCA.
The clash at StarTimes Stadium in Kampala saw the Tricolores claim a lead in the first half through a Ricardo Estevao’s penalty, but KCCA levelled the score through Mustafa Kizza in the second stanza.
Following a barren draw in the first leg in Luanda two weeks ago, the Toni Casano-led side had a daunting task of getting a favourable result away to guarantee their passage to the next round.
It was a bright start to the match for KCCA with Gift Ali whipping a right-sided free-kick into the box in the second minute which Allan Okello met, but his ten-yard header came off the post.
Despite KCCA controlling the possession stakes and dominating the flow of the game, the next chance on goal went the way of Petro in the 19th minute when a right-sided cross from To Carneiro was met by Diogenes but his header went inches over the target.
KCCA came close to taking the lead just before the half hour mark when a corner was worked into the Petro box which Jackson Nunda met, but his close-range header was superbly saved by Elber.
Petro were awarded a penalty after KCCA goalkeeper Charles Lukwago fouled Isaac Mensah inside the 18-yard-box. Ricardo Estevao stepped up and converted from the spot for a 1-0 lead.
KCCA should have equalized in the 41st minute when Filbert Obencham broke the off-side trap, but failed to beat Elber in a one-on-one.
Three minutes into the second half Petro should have extended the lead when a mistake in defence gifted Danny a chance on goal, but Lukwago made a fantastic reflex save to deny the striker from 14-yards out.
In the 56th minute KCCA equalized when Sadat Anaku drove down the right flank and played the ball to Mustafa Kiiza in space and he made no mistake with a clinical finish to make it 1-1.
The Kasasiro Boys looked to reassert authority thereafter but Elber impressively denied Wilson from scoring an own-goal with a one-handed palm following a free-kick.
Petro drew their own attempt three minutes later as Alem fired a first-time volley from the far side which Muzamiru cleared from the goal-line.
The pressure play from KCCA continued, but wayward shooting and indecisiveness in front of goal from Mutyaba, Okello and Nunda let Petro off the hook.
The two sides strutted the ball around in the final minutes, with no real chances seeing the clash to a draw as Petro advance to the group stages following the away goal rule.
