Mazembe vs Petro de Luanda Prediction: Hosts expected to boost their semifinal chances at home

TP Mazembe will host Petro de Luanda in the first leg of their CAF Champions League quarterfinal on Saturday. As they head into this matchup, the hosts aim to secure an advantage before traveling to Angola for the second leg. However, the question remains: can Petro de Luanda demonstrate strength on the road in this encounter?

After their Match Day 6 loss to Mamelodi Sundowns, the DR Congo side missed the opportunity to top Group A. However, with 10 points earned, they secured a spot in the quarterfinals and will rely on the advantage of playing at home. Their impressive record includes four consecutive victories at home in the Champions League, all with clean sheets. Mazembe remains undefeated within the regulation 90 minutes in their seven home matches in the Champions League. This remarkable streak is consistent with their recent performances; they have remained unbeaten in their last four matches, securing clean sheets in all but one, with just a draw. Preceding this upcoming game, they secured a 1-0 victory over Don Bosco at home. Moreover, they have only failed to score in two of their last 10 matches. In the Champions League this season, Cheikh Fofana and Glody Likonza have been key players, collectively scoring seven goals in eight games, starting from the qualifiers.

Although Petro Luanda suffered defeats both at home and away in their first-ever meetings with TP Mazembe 15 years ago, they now approach the upcoming match with a significantly improved team. Notably, the Angolans topped Group C, which included ES Tunis, Al Hilal, and Etoile du Sahel. They concluded the group stage unbeaten, amassing 12 points and instilling themselves with considerable confidence for this game. Petro Luanda maintained clean sheets in all their group matches and aspire to sustain their defensive prowess in this challenging environment. In their most recent fixture preceding this match, Petro Luanda secured a 2-1 victory over Académica do Lobito, marking their 21st consecutive unbeaten outing. They arrive here with seven wins in their last ten matches, and notably, they kept clean sheets in eight of their last nine games. Despite being undefeated in their last four away matches in the Champions League, Petro Luanda have only secured two wins in six. Additionally, they struggled to find the net in four out of six away matches in the Champions League.

The recent Champions League matches of both teams have been characterized by low scores. Petro Luanda's defensive solidity has largely contributed to this trend. Although they didn't excel in scoring during the group stages, they managed to go through six games without conceding a single goal. Similarly, TP Mazembe has shown defensive strength, only scoring more than once in three out of 12 Champions League matches. A match between these two teams suggests low scoring, but the hosts have consistently performed well at home. In the group stage, only Simba managed to secure a draw against them, leading me to anticipate another victory for the hosts.