Yanga, Simba eye records in CAF Continental Competitions

Dar es Salaam. Tanzanian football giants, Young Africans (Yanga) and Simba, are set to battle for spots in the group stages of their respective CAF club competitions this weekend, on September 21 and 22, 2024.

Yanga, representing Tanzania in the CAF Champions League, will face Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) on September 21, 2024, at the New Amaan Complex in Zanzibar at 8:30pm East African time.

Meanwhile, Simba will take on Libya’s Al Ahli Tripoli in the CAF Confederation Cup at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on September 22, 2024, at 4:00pm East African time.

Both matches are critical for the teams to secure qualification to the group stages of their respective tournaments and set new milestones for Tanzanian football.

Yanga vs CBE

The Jangwani Street outfit needs at least a draw to qualify for the CAF Champions’ League group stage for the third time.

In the first leg in Addis Ababa, Yanga won 1-0, courtesy of a goal from Prince Dube, assisted by Stephane Aziz Ki.

This is a decisive match for Yanga, who made history in 1998 as the first team from the Council of East and Central Africa Football Association (CECAFA) zone to reach the group stage (then the quarterfinals) of the competition.

Yanga also advanced to the group stage in the 2023/2024 edition but were eliminated by South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns in the knockout stage.

Yanga’s greatest recent success came in the 2022-23 season when they reached the CAF Confederation Cup final, narrowly losing to USM Alger on away goals.

Yanga lost 2-1 at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium but managed a 1-0 victory in Algiers.

Yanga’s coach Miguel Gamondi’s comments

Yanga's head coach, Miguel Gamondi, stressed that they are taking the match seriously and not underestimating CBE.

“This is a decisive match. In football, anything can happen, but we should have finished the job in Ethiopia, where we missed more than seven clear scoring chances. I am confident we will progress,” said Gamondi.

He added that the team has worked on their mistakes and that he trusts his players to perform well.

Simba vs Al Ahli Tripoli

Simba have built an impressive record in African football, consistently performing well at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium over the past six seasons against some of the continent's toughest teams.

However, Simba must approach this match with caution, as Al Ahli Tripoli is a strong side.

After a 0-0 draw in Tripoli a week ago, Simba needs a win to secure a place in the group stage. Any score draw (e.g., 1-1 or 2-2) would see them eliminated due to the away goals rule.

Simba’s coach Fadlu Davids’ comments

Simba’s head coach, Fadlu Davids, acknowledged the challenge ahead and emphasized the need for discipline.

“This is a decisive match, and we will have a completely different approach.

We must be highly disciplined in both defense and attack. We have the advantage of playing at home, but Al Ahli Tripoli is a strong side, and we need to counter them effectively,” said Fadlu.