A dramatic revival in the African fortunes of TP Mazembe took the Democratic Republic of Congo club to the CAF Champions League semifinals on Saturday.
The Congolese Ravens came from behind to defeat Petro Luanda 2-1 in the Angolan capital and win a quarterfinal tie by the same score after a goalless first leg last weekend.
Mazembe have won 11 CAF titles across four competitions, but their success this season comes after shock qualifying-round exits from the last two editions of the Champions League.
The club based in the mineral-rich south of DR Congo lost on away goals to AmaZulu of South Africa, then on penalties to Vipers of Uganda the following season.
Fans silenced
Honduran Jonathan Toro gave Petro a 29th-minute lead amid wild celebrations among a crowd that filled most of the 48,000 seats at the national stadium in Luanda.
But the predominantly Petro-supporting fans were silenced on 82 minutes when Philippe Kinzumbi equalised to end a run of 714 minutes by the Angolan side in the competition without conceding.
Level on aggregate but trailing on away goals, Petro had to score again to secure a last-four place, but it was the visitors who did so through Joel Beya six minutes into added time.
The Mazembe goals were the first scored by them on the road in the Champions League this season since defeating Big Bullets 1-0 in a qualifier in Malawi last September.
Defending champions
Mazembe now face defending champions Al Ahly of Egypt for a place in the final, with the first leg in Lubumbashi on April 19-20 and the return match in Cairo on April 26-27.
Ahly have won the Champions League a record 11 times and Mazembe share second place with another Egyptian club, Zamalek, with five titles each.
Esperance of Tunisia will face Mam elodi Sundowns of South Africa in the other semi-final, which also pits former Champions League title-holders against each other.
The Tunis club won a penalty shootout 4-2 against ASEC Mimosas in Abidjan after both legs finished 0-0 to reach the semi-finals for the third time in four seasons.
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