Yanga march into group stage

GALLANT Young Africans advanced into the group stage of CAF Confederation Cup despite losing 1-0 to hosts Wolaitta Dicha, in the return leg encounter at Hawassa International Stadium in Ethiopia, yesterday.

Yanga progress into the next stage on 2-1 aggregate. The Jang- wani Street lads placed one leg into the group stage of continental second tier club championship, after earning a 2-0 victory over the Ethiopians at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam a fortnight ago.

For reaching the group stage of the continental second tier club championship, Yanga will earn a 600m/- package from CAF. Yanga needed just a draw of any kind or a defeat of not more than two clear goals in the return leg to sail through into the group stage.

And after conceding an early goal, they kept their nerves to survive against Dicha, famous for knocking out five-time African champions, Zamalek of Egypt. In yesterday’s match, hosts Dicha kicked off the game in a high tempo and took an early lead of the match in just two minutes through Arafat Djako.

The hosts scored from a corner ball which Yanga defence and goalkeeper Youthe Rostand failed to clear inside the box, before the ball landed on Djako’s path who tapped it into the back of the net.

After conceding, Yanga struggled to settle quickly into the game, giving the hosts chance to put more pressure in hunting for the second goal, which could have levelled the matter for the Ethi- opians and put Yanga under more pressure.

The hosts ought to have scored more goals in early opening exchanges, but their deadly man Djako and his colleagues wasted a few chances they created backed by a massive support from their supporters.

Yanga recovered as the game progressed and started threaten- ing their host. Zambian striker Obrey Chirwa almost pulled level in the 27th minute after he left his marker, but his shot was blocked to a fruitless corner kick.

Then, Papy Tshishimbi squandered another chance to put Yanga on level terms in the 38th minute, with only goalkeeper, Wondwosen Geremew to beat after being set by Chirwa inside the box, the Congolese midfielder powered his shot over the bar.

In the second stanza, Yanga came a more rejuvenated and looked a more likely side to score. It was better and impressive display by Yanga, who made few changes by bringing in Said Makapu and Emmanuel Martin for Thaban Kamusoko and Tshishimbi respectively, the vital substitutions that restored their confidence.

As they were making forays upfront, Yanga also defended in numbers to eliminate the Ethiopians and booked a place in the group stage of the tournament for the third time as they did in 1998 and 2016, respectively.

The last time they qualified for the stage was in 2016, after eliminating Angolan side Sagrada Esperanca on 2-1 goals on ag- gregate, following a 2-0 win in Dar es Salaam.

The group stage phase draw will be held on Saturday at the CAF Headquarters in Cairo. The group stage of the CAF Champions League and Confed- eration Cup two competitions will kick-off on the weekend of May 4 to 6th, this year.