Mamelodi Sundowns were held to a goalless draw away to Angolan outfit Wiliete in the second round of the CAF Champions League on Sunday, bringing an end to a remarkable run of 15 consecutive matches at this stage of the competition in which they had found the net.

The result marked only the fourth occasion in their history that Sundowns have failed to score in a second-round fixture. Across 39 matches at this stage, the South African side have scored 99 goals.

An extremely poor playing surface proved an additional challenge for Sundowns, but they will be confident of finding the breakthrough when the two teams meet again in Pretoria on Friday.

History is firmly on their side, as Sundowns have never suffered a home defeat in a second-round Champions League fixture. Their record stands at 19 matches played, with 16 victories and three draws, alongside 57 goals scored and just 11 conceded.

The Pretoria-based club have also won their last 14 home matches at this stage of the competition. That impressive streak dates back to a 2-0 victory over Mozambique’s Desportivo Maputo in 2007.

During those 14 consecutive wins, Sundowns have scored 48 goals while conceding only four, underlining their formidable home record ahead of Friday’s return leg.

Sundowns’ last failure to secure a home victory in this round came in 2006, when they drew 2-2 against Madagascar’s USCAFOOT. That result ultimately led to their elimination from the competition on the away-goals rule.

All four second-round matches in which Sundowns have failed to score have ended in 0-0 draws. On the previous two occasions when they recorded a goalless draw away from home in the first leg, they responded emphatically in the return fixtures, defeating Rwanda’s Rayon Sports 2-0 in 2018 and Libya’s Al Ahly Benghazi 4-0 in the 2018/19 campaign.

The other goalless draw came against Zambia’s Nkana in 2000. Sundowns eventually progressed after securing a 1-1 draw away from home, advancing on the away-goals rule. That match also marked the last time they failed to score in a home second-round fixture.

The South African champions have since established an impressive record at this stage of the competition, going 23 consecutive second-round matches without defeat. Their last loss came in 2015, when they suffered a 3-1 defeat away to TP Mazembe. That result also marked the most recent occasion on which Sundowns were eliminated in the second round.

Furthermore, Sundowns have progressed from each of their last 11 completed second-round ties, a record that will give them considerable confidence heading into Friday’s decisive encounter with Wiliete.