Yanga’s path to quarters: Two victories are a must

Dar es Salaam. Young Africans (Yanga) are scheduled to depart tomorrow for Mauritania ahead of their crucial CAF Champions League match against Al Hilal Omdurman of Sudan.

The team now faces a must-win scenario in both of their remaining group-stage matches to qualify for the knockout stage of the competition.

Yanga will face Al Hilal Omdurman at the Cheikha Ould Boïdiya Stadium, with the kick-off scheduled at 10pm. East African time.

As per the current standings, Al Hilal Omdurman have already secured their place in the knockout stage after amassing 10 points from four matches.

Yanga, for their part, sit in third place with four points, trailing second-placed MC Alger of Algeria, who have collected five points from the same number of games.

Yanga’s final group-stage encounter will be against MC Alger on January 18 at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, with the kick-off at 4pm.

Against Al Hilal, Yanga need at least a 2-0 victory to improve their goal difference. In their clash with MC Alger, they must secure a minimum 3-0 win to surpass their rivals in head-to-head statistics. These results are essential, especially if Al Hilal and MC Alger exceed 10 points before the final group-stage fixtures. Al Hilal currently lead the group and could accumulate a maximum of 16 points if they win their remaining matches.

MC Alger, on the other hand, could reach 11 points if they secure victories in their final two games. Yanga, even with maximum points from their last two matches, can only reach a total of 10 points. Interestingly, TP Mazembe of DR Congo, though still arithmetically in contention, will require favourable results in other fixtures to have any chance of qualification.

The DR Congo side could only reach eight points if they are to win their last two matches, and they must rely on both Yanga and MC Alger to drop points.

Yanga’s departure plans

Yanga’s players and officials are set to leave Tanzania tomorrow ahead of their encounter with Al Hilal.

The traveling squad will include all players recruited for international competitions, signalling the club’s intent to field a strong team. Notably, three players, Clatous Chama, Maxi Nzengeli, and Kouassi Attohoula Yao, will be part of the traveling contingent. The trio missed Yanga’s last match due to injuries but are now reported to be in good shape.

“The three players are doing well and may feature in the encounter depending on the technical bench’s decision,” said a source close to the team.

“Yanga’s head coach and technical team will be counting on the full strength of the squad to achieve the demanding results required for progression. The team is also expected to work on tightening its defence and sharpening its attack to meet the high standards necessary for success in their upcoming fixtures,” said the source.

The stakes are high for Yanga as they aim to navigate this challenging path to the knockout stage. With a determined squad and the support of their passionate fan base, Yanga will look to overcome the odds and keep their Champions League dream alive.

Group B

FAR Rabat solidified their hold on Group B with a 2-0 win over Maniema Union. Goals from Khalid Aït Ouarkhane and El Amine Zouhzouh sealed the victory. In Casablanca, Raja edged Mamelodi Sundowns 1-0 in a fiery clash marked by three red cards. Benaissa Benamar’s goal kept Raja’s hopes alive. FAR Rabat lead with eight points, followed by Sundowns (5), Raja (4), and Maniema (3).

Group C

Orlando Pirates seized the top spot in Group C with a dominant 3-0 win against Stade d’Abidjan, courtesy of goals from Relebohile Mofokeng, Patrick Maswanganyi, and Deon Hotto.

CR Belouizdad ended Al Ahly’s unbeaten streak with a late 1-0 victory in Algiers, moving into second place with six points, trailing the Pirates by two.

Group D

Pyramids secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Esperance in Cairo, tying the Tunisians at the top of the group standings. Meanwhile, Sagrada Esperança edged Djoliba 1-0, keeping their knockout hopes alive. Both Pyramids and Esperance have seven points, with Sagrada close behind on five.