Yanga brace for giants in CAF Champions League draw
Young Africans (Yanga) players celebrate after scoring against Commercial Bank of Ethiopia during the CAF Champions League second preliminary round match at the New Amaan Complex September 21, 2024. Yanga won 6-0. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
- Yanga have made history by qualifying for the group stage for the second consecutive year, following an impressive 7-0 aggregate victory over the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) last Saturday night.
Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s representative in the CAF Champions League, Young Africans (Yanga), are poised to encounter formidable opponents in the upcoming group stage.
Yanga have made history by qualifying for the group stage for the second consecutive year, following an impressive 7-0 aggregate victory over the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) last Saturday night.
In a commanding performance, Yanga secured a 6-0 victory in the return leg at the New Amaan Complex in Zanzibar, building on their earlier 1-0 win in Addis Ababa.
This dominant display underscores the team’s strength and ambition on the continental stage. As of now, 11 teams have secured slots in the group stage, with five additional teams expected to be determined by last night.
Yanga have been placed in Pot 2, alongside notable clubs such as CR Belouizdad of Algeria, Raja Club Athletic of Morocco, and Egypt’s Pyramids FC. According to CAF regulations, Yanga will not face any teams from the same pot.
However, they may encounter one club from Pot 1, which includes heavyweights like Al Ahly of Egypt, Esperance de Tunis of Tunisia, Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa, and TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Historically, Yanga have clashed with all the Pot 1 teams in various African continental club championships, making them well-acquainted opponents. In addition to potential matchups from Pot 1, Yanga could also meet teams from Pot 3, which features clubs such as the Orlando Pirates of South Africa, MC Alger of Algeria, and AS Maniema of DR Congo.
Among the potential clashes, Yanga might face Al Ahly and Esperance, who squared off in last season’s finals, as well as Mamelodi Sundowns, who eliminated Yanga in the quarterfinals via a penalty shootout.
TP Mazembe also pose a significant challenge, having outclassed Yanga in the 2022-2023 CAF Confederation Cup.
Last season, Yanga were placed in Pot 3 during the group draw, alongside TP Mazembe, Al Hilal of Sudan, and ASEC Mimosas of Ivory Coast.
They ultimately found themselves in Group D with Al Ahly, CR Belouizdad, and Medeama of Ghana. Y
anga finished second in the group, accumulating eight points, with nine goals scored and six conceded, while Al Ahly topped the group with 12 points.
