CAF Confederation Cup: Ferroviario Maputo advance in dramatic fashion

Mozambican club Ferroviário Maputo avoided a CAF Confederation Cup upset on Friday with a dramatic late comeback to advance past Madagascar’s AS Fanalamanga. Os Locomotivas scored twice in the final ten minutes to win 2-1 (3-2 aggregate score) at the Lalgy Arena.

Forced to play both legs in the Mozambican capital of Maputo due to lacking a suitable home venue, Malagasy top flight runners-up Fanalamanga performed admirably but could not withstand a final rally from the hosts. After earning a 1-1 draw and a valuable away goal in the first leg, the “home” side took an early lead in the second leg to set the stage for a potential upset.

But after gradually taking control of the match in the second half, Ferroviário Maputo finally made the crucial breakthrough to level the aggregate score. Winger Celso arrived to finish from a low cross in the 89th minute and it appeared that the teams would move on to extra time with an equal amount of goals as well as “away goals”.

However, Celso was not done and when ASF failed to clear a high cross, the one-time Mozambique international volleyed in from close range to set off celebrations of joy and relief for the 2024 Taça de Mozambique champions.

Ferroviário Maputo will next face the winners of the clash between Primeiro de Agosto of Angola and Republic of Congo’s AS Otoho. Otoho currently hold the advantage ahead of Sunday’s second leg at home in Brazzaville after winning the first leg 2-1 in Luanda.

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