Wiliete SC coach Beto Bianchi has revealed that Orlando Pirates chairman Irvin Khoza called him to congratulate him after his team eliminated Mamelodi Sundowns from the CAF Champions League.

Bianchi said Khoza contacted him following Wiliete’s success in advancing to the next stage of the competition. The Angolan side knocked out Sundowns after a 1-1 draw in the second leg at Loftus Versfeld, progressing on away goals and ending the South African club’s continental campaign.

The result marked a historic achievement for Wiliete, who reached the CAF Champions League group stage for the first time. The Angolan club managed to eliminate the reigning African champions despite facing a difficult challenge against one of the continent’s most experienced teams.

Sundowns went into the second leg hoping to secure qualification after the first meeting in Lubango ended in a goalless draw. They started positively at Loftus Versfeld, with Tashreeq Matthews opening the scoring in the 11th minute to give the home side an early advantage.

However, Wiliete remained organised defensively and continued to frustrate the Brazilians. Cristóvão “Mabululu” Paciência equalised in the 48th minute after a defensive error by Cassius Mailula, putting the Angolan side in a strong position to progress.

Although Sundowns created several opportunities and recorded 18 shots compared to Wiliete’s six, they could not score the second goal they needed. Bianchi praised his players for maintaining their discipline and following the game plan throughout the encounter.

The Wiliete coach acknowledged that Sundowns were expected to dominate possession because of their quality and experience. However, he was pleased with how his players defended in a low block and handled the pressure at Loftus Versfeld.

Bianchi also admitted that Sundowns had created enough chances to win the match, but said his team took advantage of its opportunity. For Wiliete, the most important outcome was securing qualification for the group stage and achieving the target set at the beginning of the season.

The result ended Sundowns’ hopes of defending their continental title before the group stage and marked the first time in 11 seasons that they had failed to reach that phase of the competition.

Bianchi had previously made it clear that eliminating Sundowns was necessary if Wiliete wanted to achieve its objective. His players eventually delivered the result, earning recognition for their defensive performance and determination.

The build-up to the second leg had also attracted attention following an alleged altercation between Bianchi and Sundowns assistant coach Steve Komphela after the first match in Angola. Reports indicated that Bianchi left the stadium in an ambulance after the incident.

However, Wiliete’s qualification has shifted the focus back to football, with the club celebrating a major milestone in its history. Khoza’s reported congratulatory call added another notable moment to Bianchi’s celebrations after the Angolan side’s memorable victory.

Source: IDiskiTimes