Defending Champions Mamelodi Sundowns’ almost two-year dream run in continental football crashed to an end with their 3-2 penalties 2017 Caf Champions League quarterfinal defeat against Wydad Casablanca in Morocco on Saturday night.

Salaheddine Saidi put Wydad ahead in the second leg in the 26th minute‚ and at 1-1 in the tie‚ at a packed‚ hostile 52 000-seater Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah in Rabat.

Downs had taken a 1-0 lead into the second leg thanks to Yannick Zakri’s goal in the first at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday.

They conceded early in Rabat‚ then fought their way back into the game but could not breach Wydad’s watertight defence.

Sundowns faced an opening half-hour onslaught in front of the hostile‚ vociferously vocal chanting and whistling of the home crowd‚ and had goalkeeper Denis Onyango to thank for conceding just the lone goal in a torrid opening half-hour.

The tall‚ lethal Ivorian forward was played free on goal down the right with Onyango spreading himself for the save.

Daho then beat Motjeka Madisha down the left and squared across goal‚ Abdelatif Noussir shooting into Tebogo Langerman.

Wydad took the lead when winger Mohamed Ounajem was passed into space on the right and was patient putting in a quality cross that picked out big midfielder Saidi left free to bury a header.

With the aggregate score at 1-1 Sundowns gained composure in the last 15 minutes of the first half. They started the second looking circumspectly even in charge.

In the 51st‚ Downs should have scored. Oupa Manyisa drilled in a cross from the right low and hard across the face and found Madisha‚ who did superbly to control and volley‚ somehow missing the target.

Wydad tightened their impressive defensive structure and it was hard for the Brazilians to find a way through a white wall.

Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane replaced Khama Billiat with Zakri in the 73rd. It does seem notable that Downs’ contractual issues with Billiat‚ their chief attacking force winning this competition last year‚ have not been resolved.

The quarter went straight to penalties.

In the shootout George Lebese was successful with Sundowns’ first. Akine Atouchi’s first kick for Wydad was saved by Onyango and Downs appeared on their way to the semis.

Then things went pear-shaped. Percy Tau skied before Motjeka Madisha was successful. Then Zakri shot weakly to see his effort saved by goalkeeper Zouheir Laaroubi and Soumahoro Bhangaly’s kick was ballooned over the bar.

This while Amine Atouchi‚ Achraf Bencharki and Abdeladim Khadrouf were clinical beating Onyango.