Yanga’s convincing win marks end of North African dominance

Dar es Salaam. Young Africans (Yanga) on Saturday night achieved a remarkable feat by qualifying for the CAF Champions League knockout stage for the first time in their history.

They have now collected eight points, one behind the leaders of group D, Al Ahly, whom they will meet in Cairo, Egypt, next Saturday to decide the top team in the group.

The Jangwani Street giants have qualified based on the head-to-head rule against CR Belouizdad as they lost 3-0 in Algiers.

CR Belouizdad are third with five points and will meet Medeama SC of Ghana in Algiers on Saturday in the formality match as neither will sail through to the knockout stage.

Yanga’s 4-0 victory marks their first-ever significant margin win over a club from North Africa. The Jangwani Street giants’ win over North African clubs in continental club championships had previously been a daunting task.

 Clubs like Al Ahly, Al Akhdar of Libya, Ismailia, Pyramids, among others, had often proven formidable opponents, leaving Yanga on the receiving end of defeat.

In 2008,   the Jangwani Street giants had the opportunity to enter the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup when they drew 0-0 away in the first leg of the preliminary round against Al Akhdar of Libya, but found themselves being eliminated by the North African club, who beat them 1-0 in the return leg at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

However, the narrative began to shift during the 2022/2023 CAF Confederation Cup campaign when Yanga achieved a historic breakthrough by kicking out Club Africain of Tunisia on 1-0 goal aggregates after a goalless draw at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium before  securing a crucial 1-0 away win by striker Stephane Aziz Ki, marking a significant turning point.

This triumph laid the groundwork for the further achievements of Yanga, including their 1-0 away victory over USM Alger of Algeria during the same competition the following year.

However, their commendable efforts fell short of claiming the title due to the away goal rule as they were beaten 2-1 by the Algerians in the first leg held at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.

The significance of Yanga's recent victory over CR Belouizdad extends beyond the scoreboard.

The result signified a breakthrough and the end of the dominance of North African clubs, eliminating longstanding barriers that had hindered Tanzanian clubs' progress on the continental stage.

Moreover, the victory over CR Belouizdad represents a continuation of Yanga's upward route, building on previous successes such as their 2-0 triumph against Monastir of Tunisia earlier in 2023.

The steady progression underscores Yanga's growing stature and resilience in facing formidable opponents from the North African region.

 As the first Tanzanian team to achieve such a feat, Yanga's historic triumph serves as a source of inspiration for football enthusiasts across the nation.

The result highlights the potential for Tanzanian football to compete at the highest levels and signals a new era of optimism and ambition within the sport.

Achievement

Yanga will earn $900,000 (Sh2.3 billion) for qualifying for the knockout stage of the competition, joining  DR Congo’s TP Mazembe, Ivory Coast’s Asec Mimosas, Egypt’s Al Ahly, and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns.

This is according to the rules and regulation the Confederation of African Football (CAF).