Africa-Press – Angola. Petro de Luanda “baptized”, this Sunday, in Maputo, with a rout (3-0) against the Black Bulls of Mozambique, at Estádio do Zimpeto, and confirmed the favoritism that was attributed to it in the challenge referring to the first “leg” of the preliminary round of access to the group stage of the African Football Champions League. Goals from Tiago Azulão, at 63 minutes, Anderson Cruz, at 75′ and Pedro Pinto, at 82′, gave shape to a victory that never inspired care.
Against all expectations, the Angolan team was the owner and master of the game. In fact, the false idea that the lack of official games, and the consequent lack of competitive rhythm of the tricolors, could negatively influence their performance, completely fell apart. And, for this, the sudden entry into the game of Alexandre Santos’ pupils contributed.
Playing without complexes, changing the ball well and exploring in the best way, as if he were playing in Luanda, the blank spaces in the last third of the Mozambican team’s midfield, it would come to be with some naturalness that, at 22 minutes, Petro reaches the goal, however, very badly canceled by the Zambian referee, for alleged irregular position of Tiago Azulão. From there, it was realized, then, that the goals were just a matter of time.
In fact, the Black Bulls had some periods of good football, but unable to create obstacles to Petro de Luanda’s defensive wall, which proved to be potent to shake off the pressure to which it was subjected. In the only big danger situation, in the 26th minute, the Mozambican champion arrived in the Wellington area by the Liberian Stephan, but it was a short-lived sun.
The break was a good advisor for Petro. In the second half, the Angolan team came back with a vengeance, had more possession of the ball, benefited from more corners and created more goalscoring opportunities. But, it should be said, Alexandre Santos was also very lucky with the substitutions he made, as the additions of Anderson Cruz and Tó Carneiro helped to add intensity to the team’s football.
The first goal of the tricolors would come, curiously, from the magic of Anderson Cruz, in a millimeter pass to discover the Brazilian Tiago Azulão in the area. Number 27’s brilliant display couldn’t have deserved a better prize, in the 75th minute, when he scored the second goal, in a strong and indefensible shot for the Black Bulls’ goalkeeper.
Although the quality of the show wasn’t the best, it was largely the fault of the Zambian referee who, for long periods of the match, tilted the field, nullifying Petro’s plays and distributing yellow cards “left and right”. Even so, the Angolan champion was not intimidated and reached the third goal, in the 82nd minute, in a move of clear luck for central Pedro Pinto, who only had to use his chest to push the ball and swing the opposing nets.
The home team still had a sovereign opportunity to score the honorable goal, and reduce the disadvantage, at 90+2′, but the goalkeeper Wellington justified it with an excellent save. Hi huge and “elastic” when stretching to avoid the goal with the fingers of the left hand. The Petro lined up with the following “eleven”: Wellington; Pedro Pinto, Kinito, Pedro and Eddie Afonso; Megue, Soares, Gleisson, Gilberto, Anderson Cruz and Tiago Azulão. In the second half, Tó Carneiro, Jaredi and Ito played.
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