Yanga, Medeama in crucial CAF Champions League duel
What you need to know:
- The encounter, scheduled to take place at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi, will kick off at 7pm Tanzanian time and is billed to be very tough
Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s football giants, Young Africans (Yanga), today face Medeama SC of Ghana in the decisive encounter of their campaign for entering the quarterfinals of the CAF Champions League.
The group D encounter, scheduled to take place at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi, will kick off at 7pm Tanzanian time and is billed to be very tough.
Besides the Medeama-Yanga clash, another encounter in group D will see the defending champions, Al Ahly of Egypt, hosting Chabab Riadhi de Belouizdad alias CR Belouizdad of Algeria at the Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria, Egypt.
A notable feature of this encounter is the appointment of Kenyan referee Peter Waweru, who will be in charge of the encounter.
The choice of Waweru underscores the African football governing body (CAF)'s commitment to ensure fair play and professionalism in continental competitions.
Yanga return to Ghana for the second time since 2016 when they played against the same team in the CAF Confederation Cup and Yanga lost 3-1.
The first leg at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam ended in a 1-1 draw, making the upcoming match in Kumasi crucial for their continental aspirations.
The Jangwani Street side head coach, Miguel Gamondi, said the team's focus is on collecting three points to improve their position in the competition.
Yanga are now at the bottom of group D with one point following their 1-1 draw against Al Ahly last weekend at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.
Gamondi predicted the match to be tough and called on his players to play with determination. He said they are going to play against a tough team with home ground advantage, but added that they will be searching for the three important points.
“It is a crucial match for us, we know how the result would reflect in the group, so we have prepared well and my players know what Yanga fans and members expect from them,” said Gamondi.
The Argentinian tactician said all his players are in good shape and ready to deliver the best result in the encounter.
The squad list boasts the inclusion of key players such as Djigui Diarra, Maxi Nzengeli, Pacôme Zouzoua, Khalid Aucho, Mudathir Yahya, Kennedy Musonda, Jesus Moloko, Ibrahim Bacca, Farid Mussa, and Stephane Aziz Ki.
The formidable lineup also includes Salum "Sure Boy" Abubakar, Zawadi Mauya, Jonas Mkude, Farid Mussa, Gift Fred, Bakari Mwamnyeto, Clement Mzize, Dickson Job, Kouassi Attoula Yao, and many others.
Medeama SC head coach Augustine Evans Adotey also said he will be targeting the best result in the encounter in order to improve their chances in the group standings.
The Ghanaian side’s morale has been boosted following the return of their deadly striker, Jonathan Sowah.
Sowah, a key player in the team’s striking force, was suspended and missed the previous encounter after receiving three yellow cards.
The Medeama SC striker has attracted interest from several clubs due to his impressive performance for the Ghanaian champions. Sowah has reportedly popped up on the radar of African giants, Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly.
