First round in sight for Yanga

Dar es Salaam. Mainland giants Young Africans had little mercy on Komorozine de Domoni of Comoro as they trashed them 7-0 in the preliminary round, first leg of the Africa Champions League match yesterday.

Striker Mrisho Ngasa set the home team on their way with the opener in the 14th minute and defender nadir Haroub doubled the lead six minutes later for a 2-0 half-time lead at the National Stadium.

Yanga now need just a draw in the return leg slated for a week later to sail through and book a date with defending champions Al Ahly of Egypt. The latter have been given a bye to the first round proper.

They took command of the game right from the start and went one up when Ngasa rose highest to power home Mbuyu Twite’s pass with Attoumani Farid on the post unable to keep it out. Haroub made it 2-0 for the hosts in the 20th minute with a superb header after he was set up by David Luhende.

The visitors went close in the 32nd minute when Mouayade Almanour’s header went a few centimetres wide.

Yanga ought to have gone three up in the 40th minute when Ngasa teed Hamis Kiiza on the edge of the box and the latter curled his right-footed effort just over the top.

Three minutes to the hour mark, substitute Didier Kavumbagu scored the third goal for Yanga, a few minutes after coming in to replace Luhende. Celebrations that greeted the goal had hardly died down when Kiiza made it 4-0 off a Kvumbagu pass. The hosts scored three more goals through Ngasa (64, 68th) and Kavumbagu (80th).

Meanwhile, Azam FC will have another shot at international glory this afternoon when they launch their campaign in the continent’s second-tier cup competition.

They host Ferroviario de Beira of Mozambique in the preliminary round, first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup at the Azam Complex on the outskirts of the city.

The ice-cream makers are participating in the competition for the second straight season. Last year, they did not go beyond the second round.

A total of 42 clubs will feature in the preliminary rounds, including ASEC Mimosas of Ivory Coast, Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia as well as Nigeria’s Warri Wolves and Bayelsa United.

The Nigerian teams have a bye to the second round. Last year’s winners, CS Sfaxien of Tunisia, have opted for the more prestigious CAF Champions League after they won their country’s league championship.

Azam information officer, Jaffer Idd said yesterday that nothing will stop the Chamazi-based team from making the bright start in the tournament.

“We’re at home, we have a run and we need the points. We’ll give it all we have,” said Idd.

John Bocco and Ivorian Kipre Tchtche are among players Azam bank on for goals. The return leg match is slated for a week later, while first-round games will be played from the weekend of February 28.