Ghana trio Yaw Frimpong, Solomon Asante and Gladson Awako were handed starting roles as TP Mazembe suffered a 2-1 defeat at Entente Setif on Saturday in the CAF Champions League semi-final first leg.
But midfielder Daniel Nii Adjei was an unused substitute at the Stade du 8 Mai 1945 in Setif.
Head coach Patrice Carteron replaced Yaw Frimpong and Solomon Asante with Kabaso Chongo and Thomas Ulimwengu in the 81st and 87th minutes respectively
All three goals came in the second half after an equally eventful first half littered with missed chances by both side mostly off set pieces.
Mazembe took the lead in 51st minute through an own goal by Setif defender Said Aroussi when he deflected in a Rainford Kalaba cross.
Setif equalised three minutes later in rather controversial circumstances when Younes headed in Ali Lamri cross from close range from a seemingly offside position.
It took referee Neant Alioum of Cameroon two minutes to make a final decision in the midst of Setif protests after conferring with his first assistant who had raised his flag for offside.
Mazembe continued to press but were unlucky to see Ghana midfielder Gladson Awako goal-bound shot in the 65th minute cleared off the line.
Abdelmalek Ziaya broke Mazembe's hearts with the winner in the 88th minute when he turned Zambia defender Chongo Kabaso inside-out before unleashing an unstoppable volley to beat goalkeeper Robert Kidiaba.
Meanwhile, the two sides meet in the final leg on September 27 in Lubumbashi to decide who goes through to the two legged finals set for the weekend of October 25-26 and November 1-2.