Cautious Yanga ready for Comoros trip
Tanzania champions, Young African, travel to Comoros this weekend with caution ahead of their first leg Preliminary round Total CAF Champions League clash against Ngaya de Mbe, hoping to return unscathed.
Visiting Yanga travel to Moroni on Saturday, 24-hours ahead of the fixture, with their only source of worry being the inadequate information on their opponent.
The Tanzanians are now guided by Zambian George Lwandamina, who steered Zesco to a historic last four of the premier continental club championship last year, and defender Mwinyi Haji is hoping the experience of the former will be vital to their quest for a positive outing against the islanders, whom they have little info about.
“We don’t know much about our opponent. We have trained seriously and understand it will be a tough game. We are looking for at least a point to minimize the pressure in the return leg.
“Away games are always tough, it doesn’t matter who and where you play. This time we want to go far in the competition and so have to play as a team in attack and defence. Also, we have a good team to win the game,” Haji noted.
Yanga captain, Haruna Niyonzima, is convinced reaching the last eight of the second-tier CAF Confederation Cup last season gives them an edge over the hosts.
“Last year we reached the group stage in the CAF Confederation Cup, but that is history. We want to achieve more this year and do better. If we win away, it will be good for us. It will also reduce the pressure for the return game and we will be sure of our place in the next round too,” said Niyonzima, who also doubles as captain of the Rwanda national team.
Assistant coach, Juma Mwambusi also adds that a positive outing will put them in a good stead as far as a place at the next round is concerned.
“Every game in the CAF Champions League is tough, because you are playing against champions from other countries. We cannot underestimate them (Ngaya). We are well prepared for Ngaya and we are hoping for the best,” Mwambusi said.
The return leg will take place on Saturday, 18 February 2017 with the winner facing Zanaco of Zambia at the next round.
KCCA (Uganda) vs Primeiro de Agosto (Angola)
JS Saoura (Algeria) vs Enugu Rangers (Nigeria)
Saturday, 11 February 2017
RC Kadiogo (Burkina Faso) vs Diables Noirs (Congo)
AS Real (Mali) vs Rivers United (Nigeria)
AS Tanda (Cote d’Ivoire) vs AS FAN (Niger)
US Goree (Senegal) vs Horoya (Guinea)
FC Johansen (Sierra Leone) vs FUS Rabat (Morocco)
CF Mounana (Gabon) vs Vital’O (Burundi)
Zanaco (Zambia) vs APR (Rwanda)
Zimamoto (Zanizibar) vs Ferroviario da Beira (Mozambique)
Royal Leopards (Swaziland) vs AS Vita (DR Congo)
CNapS (Madagascar) vs Township Rollers (Botswana)
Saint Louisienne (Reunion) vs Bidvest Wits (South Africa)
Lioli (Lesotho) vs Caps United (Zimbabwe)
Cote d’Or (Seychelles) vs Saint George (Ethiopia)
Tusker (Kenya) vs Port Louis (Mauritius)
Sunday, 12 February 2017
Sony Ela Nguema (Equatorial Guinea) vs El Merreikh (Sudan)
Wa All Stars (Ghana) vs Ahly Tripoli (Libya)
Ngaya Club de Mde (Comoros) vs Young Africans (Tanzania)
Barrack Young Controllers (Liberia) vs Stade Malien (Mali)
Ports Authority (Gambia) vs Sewe Sport (Cote d’Ivoire)
Coton Sport (Cameroon) vs Atlabara (South Sudan)
AC Leopards (Congo) vs UMS de Loum (Cameroon)