Yanga ready for tough CAF crash against Burundi’s Vital’O

Dar es Salaam. Mainland champions Young Africans (Yanga) will kick off their CAF Champions League campaign tomorrow, August 17, 2024, against Burundi's Vital’O.

The match is set to take place at the Azam Complex, starting at 4 pm, as both teams aim for a crucial victory to advance to the next round of the competition.

Both teams have been rigorously preparing for this encounter, which will see Burundi’s Vital’O act as the designated host due to a CAF decision.

Burundi lacks a stadium that meets CAF's requirements, forcing Vital’O to relocate their home fixture to the Azam Complex.

The two sides will meet again on August 24, 2024, at the same venue, with the match scheduled to kick off at 7 pm.

The aggregate winner of this first preliminary round will move on to face the victor between Uganda’s SC Villa and Commercial Bank of Ethiopia.

The second preliminary round matches are slated for September 13-15, with the return legs to be played a week later.

The group stage of the tournament is scheduled to commence in October and will run until February next year.

Read: Yanga starts CAF match preparations as Coastal Union departs for Angola

Yanga’s head coach, Miguel Gamondi, expressed confidence in his squad, stating that all players are in top form and fully committed to the task at hand.

“Our primary objective is to qualify for the group stage of the CAF Champions League,” said Gamondi.

 “Regardless of the opponent, our focus is on winning each match and progressing through the tournament.

We are currently in the knockout stage, and our goal is to secure a spot in the group stage, just as we did in last season’s edition of the CAF Champions League,” he said.

Gamondi emphasized the importance of consistency and determination, saying, "Whether we play at home or away, we need to ensure we qualify for the group stage.

One of the reasons I joined Yanga last season and decided to stay on this season is to compete at the highest level in the Champions League and to showcase the best of Yanga and Tanzanian football on the continental stage.

This is a challenge we must face together, fighting to elevate Yanga to the pinnacle of African football."

On the other side, Vital’O’s head coach, Parris Sahabo, remains undaunted by the challenge posed by Yanga.

He stressed that his team is well-prepared and focused on achieving a positive result.

“We are aware that we are up against a formidable team, but we have prepared to face all challenges.

Our primary goal is to advance to the next stage of the competition,” Sahabo stated confidently.

Sahabo also highlighted the determination within his squad, noting that his players are in excellent condition, driven by a clear mission and vision to eliminate Yanga from the competition.

As both teams gear up for this high-stakes clash, football fans can expect an intense battle on the pitch as Yanga and Vital’O vie for a place in the next round of Africa's premier club competition.

The journey to CAF Champions League glory begins now, and the stakes could not be higher for these two sides.