CAF Confederation Cup
Yanga revel in making Tanzania history, now they aim for the stars
Tanzania’s Young Africans, affectionately referred to as Yanga by all and sundry, are basking in the light of glory, becoming the first Tanzanian team to play in the final of the CAF Confederation Cup.
They are only the second Tanzanian team, after their arch rivals Simba SC in 1993’s CAF Cup, to play a continental final, and now, they are seeking to go all the way and reach the stars, to clinch their first ever continental title.
Wanajangwani dropped to the Confederation Cup after elimination in the
CAF Champions League. They were beaten 2-1 on aggregate by Sudan’s Al Hilal in the second round, and they have used that exit pain as fuel to charge their run in the Confederation Cup.
They played in the additional preliminary round, beating Tunisia’s Club African 1-0 in aggregate. They played to a barren draw at home, before winning the return fixture to earn their place in the group stages.
They were drawn in Group D where they finished top with 13 points, edging out Tunisia’s US Monastir on goal difference.
They had four wins from six matches, a draw and a loss. Their only defeat was a 2-0 result away to Monastir while their draw was a 1-1 result away to Real de Bamako.
They beat giants and two-time champions TP Mazembe home and away, Monastir and Bamako both in Dar es Salaam.
In the quarters, they beat Nigeria’s Rivers United 2-0 on aggregate, the victory away from home in the first leg sufficing after a 0-0 draw in the return fixture in Dar.
In the semi-finals, they faced South Africa’s Marumo Gallants, winning 4-1 on aggregate with a 2-0 victory at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam and a 2-1 win in South Africa.
They have had a solid record at home in the competition, only dropping victory in their play-off match against Club Africain and the return quarter final fixture against Rivers United.
Players to watch:
Congolese forward Fiston Kalala Mayele has been Yanga’s go to man for goals, the lanky striker playing a crucial role in their run up to the finals with nine goal involvements in 10 matches. He has scored six and assisted three.
Goalkeeper Djigui Diarra has also been a wall for Yanga at the back, keeping five clean sheets in nine matches, stats that have proved vital for Yanga to make a run till the final.
In midfield, Ugandan Khalid Aucho has been an unsung hero, and his calmness on and off the ball have been vital for Yanga especially providing the screen to the back four.
Yanga’s road to the final
Play-off Round
1st Leg Young Africans 0 Club Africain 0
2nd Leg Club Africain 0 Young Africans 1
Young Africans won 1-0 on aggregate
Group Stages
Union Monastirienne 2 Young African 0
Young Africans 3 TP Mazembe 1
Real Bamako 1 Young Africans 1
Young Africans 2 Real Bamako 0
Young Africans 2 Union Monastirienne 0
TP Mazembe 0 Young Africans 1
Quarterfinal
First Leg, Rivers United 0 Young Africans 2
Second Leg, Young Africans 0 Rivers United 0
Young Africans progress 2-0 on aggregate
Semi-final
First Leg, Young Africans 2 Marumo Gallants 0
Second Leg, Marumo Gallants 1 Young Africans 2
Young Africans progress 4-1 on aggregate
CAF Confederation Cup
‘Nzogbu Nzogbu’ Enyimba enyi as Enyimba limp into Confederation Cup Group stage!
It was not easy, but the end justified the means. Enyimba had to go through the lottery of penalty shoot-out to get into the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup on Sunday in Uyo after playing a barren draw with visiting Etoile Filante of Burkina Faso.
The first leg also ended goalless leading to penalty shoot-out as tie breaker. Enyimba won 3-2 on penalties.
Enyimba FC head coach Yemi Olarenwaju has set his sights on securing a crucial victory in Sunday’s second leg of the CAF Confederation Cup tie against Étoile Filante de Ouagadougou.
His confidence is built on the goalless draw in the first leg in Bamako.
“The job is far from over, and we can’t afford to celebrate yet. The return leg in Uyo will be crucial,” Olarenwaju was quoted by the club’s website as saying.
“We’ll go back to the drawing board, work harder, and prepare for the challenge ahead.”
Olarenwaju praised his team’s tactical edge and discipline, which nullified the hosts’ attacking threats. “We had a clear game plan, and the players executed it perfectly. Our tactical discipline prevented Étoile Filante de Ouagadougou from creating any meaningful scoring opportunities.”
The Enyimba FC boss acknowledged the tough opposition but remains confident in his team’s ability to secure a win at home.
“Étoile Filante de Ouagadougou is a formidable opponent, but we have the quality and determination to get the job done in Uyo.”
As we look forward to the return leg, we urge all Enyimba FC fans to come out in their numbers and support the team at the Uyo Stadium. Let’s make our home advantage count and cheer the People’s Elephant to victory!
Enyimba’s midfielder, Daniel Daga, has pledged to lead club to victory against Etoile Filante in the return leg of the CAF Confederation Cup second round on Sunday.
The People’s Elephant are looking to build on their impressive performance in the first leg, which ended in a goalless draw in Bamako, Mali. Despite creating several scoring opportunities, Enyimba were unable to find the back of the net.
However, Daga remains optimistic about their chances in the return leg having missed the first leg of the encounter due to a slight knock
“Our resolve is to win and advance to the group stages,” he stated confidently. “We understand that they are a difficult opponent, but we have just one task, which is to win, and that is exactly what we are going to do.”
A win for Enyimba FC would guarantee their spot in the group stages, a feat that would make them the only Nigerian team in the competition’s group phase.
“We know the importance of this match, and we’re ready to give it our all,” Daga added. “We want to make Nigeria proud and show that we’re a force to be reckoned with in African football.”
Head coach, Yemi Olarenwaju, has been fine-tuning his tactics, and the team is eager to execute their game plan.
“The first leg result gives us an advantage, but we won’t take anything for granted,” Olarenwaju said. “We’ll push for victory and secure our spot in the group stages.”
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