Moroccan side Olympique Safi delivered a resilient performance to secure a 0-0 draw against former champions USM Alger in the first leg of their CAF Confederation Cup semi-final clash on Saturday.
Despite being under sustained pressure for much of the encounter, the debutants in continental competition managed to keep their hosts at bay.
USM Alger came close to breaking the deadlock on several occasions but were repeatedly denied, both by defensive resilience and VAR decisions.
The Algerian outfit had an early penalty shout waved away, while two second-half goals were chalked off after video review.
Zakaria Draoui thought he had given USMA the lead in the 54th minute, only for his effort to be ruled out.
Later, Hocine Dehiri also saw his late strike disallowed, compounding the frustration of the home side.
Safi, making their maiden appearance in African club competition, have exceeded expectations by reaching the semi-finals.
Their disciplined display ensures they return home with a valuable result ahead of the decisive second leg.
USM Alger, who lifted the Confederation Cup title three years ago, will now need a strong performance away from home when they travel to Morocco for the return fixture next weekend.
In the other semi-final, Egyptian giants Zamalek SC edged past CR Belouizdad 1-0 in Algeria on Friday.
The two-time champions will host the second leg in Cairo, aiming to secure another final appearance.
