Who will Yanga, Simba face in CAF Champions League quarters?
Combined photos of Simba player Clatous Chama (left) and Yanga's Pacoume Zouzoua celebrate after scoring goals for their teams during previous matches. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
- The teams that will compete in the quarter-finals of the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup are now known following the conclusion of the group stage last weekend.
Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s envoys, Young Africans (Yanga) and Simba SC will know their rivals in the CAF Champions League quarter-finals today on March 12.
The draw will take place in Cairo, Egypt, beginning with the CAF Confederation Cup and followed by the CAF Champions League at 4pm East African time.
The teams that will compete in the quarter-finals of the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup are now known following the conclusion of the group stage last weekend.
Besides Yanga and Simba, other teams that have made it to the CAF Champions League quarters are Al Ahly of Egypt, Asec Mimosas (Ivory Coast), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), Atletico Petroleos (Angola), TP Mazembe (DR Congo), and Esperance Sportive de Tunis of Tunisia.
Teams that have sailed through to the CAF Confederation Cup quarters are USM Alger (Algeria), Zamalek (Egypt), Dreams FC (Ghana), RS Berkane (Morocco), Modern Future (Egypt), Abu Salem (Libya), Rivers United (Nigeria), and Stade Malien of Mali.
According to the schedule set by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), two teams are slated to compete at their respective home venues on March 29 and 30 before playing their return legs at away venues on April 5 and 6.
Basically, the country’s heavyweights Yanga and Simba are set to face tough rivals in the CAF Champions League quarters scheduled to start at the end of this month.
As per the regulations, both Yanga and Simba could face Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa for the first time in their history.
Mamelodi Sundowns
Mamelodi Sundowns players celebrate after scoring during a past match. PHOTO | COURTESY
Records show that since the establishment of the South African team in 1970, Yanga and Simba have not crossed paths with Mamelodi Sundowns, signalling potential face-offs either of them.
Matches, if held, against the South Africans are expected to be challenging for Tanzania’s traditional rivals as records show that Mamelodi Sundowns have managed to win the South African Premier League title 16 times since 1988 and dominated the league by winning the title back-to-back since 2017/18.
They won the title in 2018/19, 2019/20, 2020/21, 2021/22, and 2022/23, and are currently at the top of the league standings with 42 points from 16 matches.
Second-placed Cape Town City are with 31 points from 18 matches, trailing 11 points behind the league leaders.
The South African giants also boast an illustrious record, having clinched the title in the inaugural African Football League (AFL) and secured one silverware in the CAF Champions League after emerging victorious in 2016.
Additionally, they earned a silver medal in the 2001 edition of the prestigious tournament. They also won a gold medal in the CAF Super Cup after winning the title in 2017.
Petro de Luanda
Petro de Luanda players celebrate after scoring during a past match. PHOTO | COURTESY
The Angolan giants may also face Yanga or Simba, depending on the CAF draw. Petro de Luanda are among the strong sides in the CAF Champions League quarter-finals with the best records in the group stage, collecting 12 points with no losses.
Further, the Angolans have an impressive track record in domestic competitions, having clinched a remarkable 17 titles in the domestic league, 14 titles in the Angola Cup, and six titles in the Angola Super Cup.
The team has made seven appearances in the CAF Champions League, reaching the semifinals in 2020/21 and 2021/22.
The team also qualified for the group stage in the 2019/20 and 2020/21 editions while competing in the Africa Cup of Champions nine times.
They also competed in the CAF Confederation Cup seven times and qualified for the group stage in 2004 and 2006, respectively.
They were also CAF Cup finalists in 1997. Nevertheless, the team has a history with Yanga, having faced them in the CAF Champions League rounds in 2007. In that encounter, Yanga emerged victorious with a 3-0 win at their home venue, but suffered a 2-0 defeat in the away match.
Al Ahly vs Simba
Simba attacking midfielder Kibu Dennis (second left) shoots during the African Football League match against Al Ahly of Egypt at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium. PHOTO | COURTESY
The two teams have faced each other several times in the CAF Champions League and recently in the African Football League (AFL).
Records show that in the five matches since 2019, Simba won two, and Al Ahly also two with one draw.
In the AFL, Al Ahly secured a 2-2 draw at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on October 21, 2023. Their return leg ended in another draw with a scoreline of 1-1 on October 26, 2023.
Basically, Al Ahly are the competition’s defending champion as the records also show that the Egyptian giants managed to win 11 titles in the CAF Champions League. They are number one in the CAF Club rankings with 78 points.
Yanga vs Asec Mimosas
The two teams have met twice in their history, whereby Yanga lost 3-0 at the home venue and later lost 2-1 away in the 1998 CAF Champions’ League group stage. The teams may meet in the next match, depending on the CAF draw.
However, Yanga, who competed in the 1998 CAF Champions’ League group stage, are not as the same as the current ones.
