Yanga’s path to quarters rests on battle with TP Mazembe

Dar es Salaam. Today, Young Africans, commonly known as Yanga, are putting the finishing touches on their preparations ahead of a crucial match against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) giants TP Mazembe.

 The Jangwani Street giants, now sitting second in the domestic league, will lock horns with TP Mazembe at Dar es Salaam’s Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in a crucial CAF Champions League Group A match, aiming to revive their hopes of qualifying for the quarterfinals.

The coaching staff and club officials are strategising to restore the team's international reputation.

Young African sit at the bottom of the group with just one point, earned from their first away match against TP Mazembe.

On Saturday, they aim to secure their first victory in the tournament when they host the Congolese side, improving their chances of reaching the quarterfinals.

As the team completes its final training session at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in the afternoon before heading to Avic Town, two key plans are being discussed, which may spell trouble for the Congolese side.

The first plan focuses on coach Sead Ramovic and his staff prioritising this match to keep their hopes of advancing to the CAF Champions League quarterfinals alive.

The second involves the club’s wealthy backers, who have set significant incentives to motivate the players.

Yanga will host TP Mazembe at 4 pm, just over two weeks after their 1-1 draw in Lubumbashi.

TP Mazembe arrived in Tanzania on Thursday night.

Yanga spokesperson Ally Kamwe recently emphasised the importance of not giving TP Mazembe any space to breathe at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.

The German tactician Ramovic emphasised that his strategy is to make sure TP Mazembe feels constant pressure.

Speaking to The Citizen’s newspaper Mwananchi, Ramovic noted that his philosophy of aggressive football is beginning to resonate with the players, and he expects to see TP Mazembe under pressure in every area.

Ramovic, who has led Yanga in eight matches across all competitions—winning five, drawing one, and losing two—expressed that he wants his players to build on their maturity from the last four league games and create chances for victory.

However, Ramovic, who has yet to secure a Champions League win, with two losses and one draw, is determined to earn his first win in these competitions before facing Al Hilal of Sudan and MC Alger of Algeria between January 12 and 18 to close the group stage.

“We need a win; that’s the main goal for the match against Mazembe,” said Ramovic.

“The good thing now is that our players are improving. We can’t let our opponents breathe, and we’re doing that at a high level, but I still want to see more progress,” he added.

Ramovic added that the discipline shown in recent league matches must continue as they enter African competitions.

He acknowledged Mazembe as a tough team but assured that Yanga will fight hard.

"We held them tight in the previous match in their home country, but now we want to be even better here to secure the win," said the former South African TS Galax coach.

On Thursday, Yanga held a practice session at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium under tight security, following Ramovic's instructions to keep their plans confidential.

Today (Friday), they are set to return to Avic Town for their final session.

Club’s rich backers offer big incentives

While the coaching staff is focused on strategy, the club's wealthy backers are working on external plans, setting high stakes for the players ahead of the crucial match against Mazembe.

The leadership is not pleased with the home loss to Al Hilal, which disrupted their early plans before another defeat away to MC Alger.

Chairman of Yanga’s Competition Committee, Rodgers Gumbo, said the club’s leadership is pleased with the progress under Coach Ramovic and is now focusing on securing the team's first victory in the CAF Champions League under his guidance.

“We are not just waiting for a win, but we have prepared a big incentive for the players to ensure they perform well in these remaining group matches,” said Gumbo.

“We are already seeing changes in the team, and we’re pleased, but we still expect more. We’ve won league matches, but now we want victories in African competitions,” he added.

Gumbo emphasised that the team remains hopeful of reaching the quarter-finals, though it will not be easy.

"We need to win these next three matches, starting with Mazembe, and preparations are going well. We, as leaders, are making sure every Yanga supporter is prepared to back the team," he said.

 "Our fate in reaching the quarterfinals depends on these three matches. After the final practice today (Thursday), we will have strong words for the players and offer them new motivation to fight for victory, starting with the Mazembe match,” he added.

 Gumbo also urged fans to create an intense atmosphere, calling on them to fill Mkapa Stadium and show TP Mazembe what Yanga strength means.

Group standings

 Yanga is currently at the bottom of Group A with one point, just below Mazembe, which has two points.

 MC Alger is in second place with four points, while Al Hilal Omdurman leads the group with nine points after winning all three matches.

 Yanga need a win to move past Mazembe and then face Al Hilal.

  If Al Hilal defeat MC Alger today, they will reach 12 points, guaranteeing the top position in the group, even if they lose their remaining two matches.