Morocco’s Raja Casablanca qualified for the semifinals of the CAF Champions league despite losing 1-0 to TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo at the Stade Frederic Kibassa Maliba in Lubumbashi on Saturday.
The three-time African champions held on for a 2-1 aggregate win following their 2-0 win at home in the first leg last week.
This was the sixth meeting between the two sides with each winning their respective home ties on three occasions.
TP Mazembe, five-time winners of the competition, were unlucky not to at least force the game into extra time having had the lion’s share of possession (61%) and four more attempts on goal (8) than their opponents (2).
The game’s first goal came five minutes into the second half as 16-year-old Isaac Tshibangu expertly controlled a cross and lashed the ball into the net to halve the deficit.
Mazembe’s Jackson Muleka won a penalty in the 67th minute after he was brought down by Raja goalkeeper Anas Zniti. Muleka himself took the resulting spot-kick but his effort was saved by the legs of Zniti, who had also saved a long-range effort from Goddy Likonza earlier on.
Raja’s first semifinal appearance in 15 years will be against five-time winners Zamalek of Egypt who overcame defending champions Esperance of Tunisia on Friday.
