Yanga, Simba ready for crucial ties of CAF Champions League

Dar es Salaam. Young Africans (Yanga) head coach Miguel Gamondi has said his team will play with determination against Medeama SC in the CAF Champions League encounter this Friday.

The Yanga-Medeama FC match will take place at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi, Ghana, from 7pm Tanzanian time. The two teams will be playing for the third time in their history and Medeama SC have managed to outshine Yanga.

The teams met on July 26, 2016 in the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup and the score was 1-1 at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam while in the return leg in Ghana, Medeama SC won 3-1.

“Our aim is to record a positive result in the encounter. I know that we are facing a tough challenge away against a team that also target victory,” he said.

According to Gamondi, the match is decisive for his side for the knockout stage of the competition. So far Yanga have collected only one point in group D following their 1-1 draw last Saturday against defending champions Al Ahly of Egypt at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.

Yanga’s tactician explained that his team would play with great discipline, targeting to come out victorious.

"We need to fight hard despite playing away. And we also need to respect our opponents,” he said. Meanwhile, Simba departed yesterday for Marrakech, Morocco, ahead of their crucial encounter against Wydad Club Athletic.

The Simba-Wydad encounter is scheduled to take place at Stade de Marrakech in Morocco and will kick off at 10pm Tanzanian time.

It is a crucial match for Msimbazi Street giants in order to qualify for the knockout stage.

Simba, who are in group B, currently sit third with two points following their 1-1 draw against Asec Mimosas of Ivory Coast and a barren draw last Saturday against Jwaneng Galaxy of Botswana.

It is a tough game for Simba because their rivals Wydad are also yet to secure victory after playing two matches.