The brilliant start of the two-time national champions suggested a game more focused on the visitors' goal, with Petro putting pressure on TP Mazembe early on, looking for a goal. Jonathan Toro, in the 9th minute, was very close to opening the scoring, following a play led by Jaredi on the right wing.
Under strong support from the public, in the 30th minute, the hosts' effort was rewarded, with the Honduran beating the Congolese goalkeeper with a well-aimed shot.
Petro obtained the deserved advantage on the field but did not take their foot off the accelerator, continuing to put pressure on TP Mazembe to increase the result. However, the final minutes of the first half still brought a chill to the yellow wave, with the Congolese missing a goal.
The complementary stage was more balanced, with the oil companies resisting the attacks of their opponent, who was fighting for a draw that would allow them to take an advantage in the tie.
10 minutes from the end of the match, the Congolese even managed to equalize, even achieving a comeback in stoppage time, at a time when the oil companies launched an attack, to get back in control of the scoreboard, but without success. Phillippe Kinzumbi (82) and Joel Beya (90+6) thus signed the victory for TP Mazembe and the consequent exclusion of Petro de Luanda from the African Champions League.
With consecutive qualifications to the group stage in the last four years, and after winning preliminary group C, Petro is thus excluded from the competition.
At the end of the game, coach Alexandre Santos thanked the fans for their support and expressed his disappointment, especially for the players who "gave their all and deserved another result". According to Angop, the Portuguese coach could be leaving at the end of the season, as the club's management made it clear that it would only renew its relationship with the coach if he qualified the team for the semi-finals of the African competition, which did not happen.
The semi-finals of the African Champions League will pit Espérance de Tunis against the South Africans of Mamelodi Sundowns and Mazembe against the Egyptians of Al-Ahly, holders of the trophy and record holders of cups, with 11, with the first leg scheduled for 19 and April 20th, while the second clash takes place a week later, between the 26th and 27th.
