Yanga hosts Saint Louis in Dar es Salaam
Tanzania’s capital city, Dar es Salaam, will be set alive on Saturday when champions Young African hosts Saint Louis of Seychelles in a preliminary first leg clash.
The visitors breezed into town last Tuesday but will have a tough test as Yanga has yet to lose at home from their previous seven games in the premier continental club championship.
The host have been in superb form having won their last four games in the Tanzania Premier League, bagging nine goals and letting in just once.
However, the only hurdle for the capital-based club is injuries to as many as eight key players, all ruled out due to various degrees of injuries.
The biggest of the octet is Zimbabwean duo, midfielder Thaban Kamusoko and striker Donald Ngoma, who has netted a staggering 41 goals in all competitions since joining the club in 2015.
Yanga Assistant Coach, Shadrack Nsajigwa, has downplayed the impact of the injured players towards their cause, insisting his charges are poised for victory at home.
“We have won several games with the absence of many key players. It will not affect us in this game. We are working hard to improve on our strength to enable us emerge victors.
“We respect our opponent (Saint Louis). They are no minnows as others think. We have seen some of their players who are good,” said Nsajigwa, a former Yanga captain.
First choice goalkeeper, Youthe Rostand, has also been ruled out but is optimistic Ramadhan Kabwili, who has understudied him for some time can fill his big shoes.
“He is young but has quality. He played well in the last two games and I believe he can do better in this game too,” said Rostand.
Kabwili was a member of the Tanzania squad at the 2017 U-17 Total Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon, and made his Premier League debut last week when Yanga beat Lipuli 2-0.
The second leg will take place on Wednesday, 21 February 2018 in Victoria, with the winner after both legs advancing to the 1/16
Fixtures
Saturday, 10 February 2018
CNaPs Sport (Madagascar) vs KCCA (Uganda)
Zanaco (Zambia) vs Armed Forces (Gambia)
Stade Malien (Mali) vs Williamsville AC (Cote d’Ivoire)
RC Kadiogo (Burkina Faso) vs Mounana (Gabon)
AS FAN (Niger) vs Horoya (Guinea)
Generation Foot (Senegal) vs Makkassa (Egypt)
Young Africans (Tanzania) vs Saint Louis (Seychelles)
Township Rollers (Botswana) vs El Merreikh (Sudan)
Gor Mahia (Kenya) vs Leones Vegatarianos (Equatorial Guinea)
Concorde (Mauritania) vs Esperance (Tunisia)
AC Leopards (Congo) vs AS Port (Togo)
JKU (Zanzibar) vs Zesco (Zambia)
Difaa El Jadida (Morocco) vs Benfica (Guinea Bissau)
Bidvest (South Africa) vs Pamplemousses (Mauritius)
Rayon Sports (Rwanda) vs Lydia Academic (Burundi)
Sunday, 11 February 2018
Saint George (Ethiopia) vs Al Salam Wau (South Sudan)
Bantu (Lesotho) vs Mbabane Swallows (Swaziland)
El Tahadi (Libya) vs Aduana (Ghana)
ES Setif (Algeria) vs Olympic de Bangui (Central African Republic)
AS Real (Mali) vs MFM (Nigeria)
AS Otoho (Congo) vs MC Alger (Algeria)
Plateau United (Nigeria) vs Eding Sport (Cameroon)
LISCR (Liberia) vs El Hilal (Sudan)
Buffles (Benin) vs ASEC Mimosas (Cote d’Ivoire)
Ngaya (Comoros) vs UD Songo (Mozambique)
AS Vita (DR Congo) vs Be Forward (Malawi)
Primeiro de Agosto (Angola) vs FC Platinum (Zimbabwe)