Yanga thrash Burundi’s Vital’O 4-0 in CAF Champions League duel

Dar es Salaam. Young Africans (Yanga) kicked off their 2024 CAF Champions League campaign with a resounding victory, overpowering Burundi’s Vital’O 4-0 in the first preliminary round on August 17, 2024, at the Azam Complex.

The convincing win places Yanga in a commanding position as they look ahead to the next round, where they are likely to face either Uganda’s SC Villa or the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia.

Yanga’s dominance was evident from the outset, and it took just six minutes for the Jangwani Street giants to open the scoring.

Prince Dube capitalised on a defensive error by Vital’O to net the first goal, setting the tone for what would be a one-sided affair.

This goal marked Dube's third since joining Yanga this season, having previously scored against TS Galaxy in the Mpumalanga Cup in South Africa and Azam FC in the Community Shield, where Yanga emerged 4-1 winners.

Despite Vital’O’s attempts to level the score, their strategy of relying on a defensive approach fell short. Yanga’s defence, marshalled by captain Bakari Mwamnyeto alongside Ibrahim Bacca, Nickson Kibabage, Kouassi Attohoula Yao, and goalkeeper Djigui Diarra, remained resolute, effectively neutralising Vital’O’s attacks. The teams went into halftime with Yanga leading 1-0.

The second half saw Yanga maintain their intensity, and in the 67th minute, they doubled their lead. Clatous Chama found the back of the net after capitalising on a rebound from a powerful shot by Stephane Aziz Ki.

This goal marked Chama’s first of the new season with Yanga, adding to the Burundian side’s woes.

Yanga continued to press, and their persistence paid off in the 74th minute when Clement Mzize extended the lead to 3-0.

Mzize’s goal further demoralised Vital’O, who struggled to cope with Yanga’s relentless attacks. The final nail in the coffin came in added time when Aziz Ki calmly converted a penalty, sealing a comprehensive 4-0 victory for the Tanzanian champions.

Yanga’s head coach, Miguel Gamondi, was full of praise for his team’s performance, lauding their dominance in the CAF tournament and urging them to maintain this momentum in the upcoming matches.

“This is the best start we could have hoped for. We played against one of Burundi’s giants, who opted for a defensive strategy, but we managed to break through their trap and emerge victorious,” said Gamondi.

On the other hand, Vital’O’s head coach, Parris Sahabo, admitted that his team’s mistakes were costly and acknowledged Yanga’s superiority.

“We made errors that allowed Yanga to control the game and ultimately win. We need to learn from this experience and improve,” said Sahabo.

As Yanga look forward to the next round, they are likely to face Commercial Bank of Ethiopia, who secured a 2-1 away win against SC Villa in their match at Sazza Grounds in Mityana Town, Kampala, Uganda, on the same day.

The Tanzanian side will be eager to continue their impressive form as they aim to advance further in the prestigious competition.