Mamelodi Sundowns and Young Africans drew 0-0 in the first leg of their CAF Champions League quarter-final on Saturday night.
Masandawana called on star forwards Peter Shalulile and Lucas Ribeiro Costa, while Thembinkosi Lorch was also named in the line-up as Themba Zwane missed out through suspension.
Sundowns didn’t have the exact complement out in the opening ten minutes but had to sacrifice Bongani Zungu for Aubrey Modiba as the midfielder-cum-defender contained a knock.
After a laboured start, Masandawana looked to grab the bull by the horns earlier on where Shalulile surged in wide of the box to get a shot away but in the end dragged wide.
Yanga began to come alive just around the half-hour mark and had Clement Mzize cut in from a loose ball high up the area and worked a low save off goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
Ribeiro Costa arguably got the best chance of the half when he made a smart run wide of the box to get a shot away following a through pass, but failed to profit.
Yanga were out flying in the second stanza and camped relentlessly in the half of the Brazilians, with third-man runs from Kennedy Musonda and Mzize causing havoc.
It was all the host at this stage of the match as Mzize shaved the near post with a looping header from a corner before Stephane Aziz Ki blazed wide left of the box.
Mzize continued to be a problem for the host and raced through on goal following a through pass to go level with Williams, but the Bafana Bafana captain collected.
Sundowns made a double change midway in the second half in Sphelele Mkhulise for Mosa Lebusa and removed Ribeiro to bring on Thapelo Morena.
As the match approached full-time, Masandawana grew in confidence and nearly had the winner at the death through a curling free-kick from Teboho Mokoena but it wasn’t to be and goalless it finished.
Confirmed line-ups:
Mamelodi Sundowns: Williams, Lebusa, Kekana, Zungu, Mudau, Lunga, Mokoena, Lorch, Allende, Riberio, Shalulile
Subs: D. Onyango, Esquivel, Modiba, Aubaas, Mkhulise, Morena, Maseko, Mvala, Matthews
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