Algerian team CR Belouizdad were the first qualifiers for the CAF Champions League group stage on Friday thanks in large part to the impressive performances of forward Abderrahmane Meziane and goalkeeper Moustapha Zeghba.

Belouizdad won 4-3 when Zeghba saved two penalty kicks in a shootout, with Meziane scoring to give the home team a 1-0 second leg triumph over Douanes of Burkina Faso.

After 35 minutes, Meziane scored the game’s only goal when he hooked onto a cross-field ball from Mohamed Azzi and hammered a low effort into the net’s corner.

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Following last weekend’s 1-0 first-leg loss, Belouizdad’s coach, Corentin Martins, a native of France, made a number of changes, including debuting South African forward Khanyisa Mayo.

The Algiers team made their fifth straight and sixth total appearance in the mini-league stage of the major African club championship after winning the second round qualifier.

Additionally, as the minimum prize money for the 16 qualifiers is $850 000 (€760 000), it guaranteed Belouizdad would be at least that much richer.

Douanes had aspired to go past the two-round qualifying stage and be the first Burkina Faso club to advance.

As with many Burkinabe clubs, they have spent several seasons playing their home games in neutral locations due to the lack of an international-caliber stadium in the nation.