Yanga plan to finish off Dicha

MAINLAND envoys in CAF Confederation Cup, Young Africans are hopeful of returning unscathed from their trip to Hawassa, when they play as guests of surprise packets, Wolaitta Dicha of Ethiopia today.

The match to be played at Hawassa Stadium, about 275 kilometres from the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, will decide whether Yanga will cruise into the group stage of the tournament or otherwise. Yanga travelled to Hawassa last Sunday minus key striker Ibrahim Ajib ahead of the second leg 2nd 1/16th clash against the Ethiopian debutants.

The Jangwani Street lads placed one leg into the group stage of continental second tier club championship, after earning a 2-0 victory over Ethiopia’s Wolaitta Dicha a fortnight ago. Midfielder Raphael Daud scored early on before attacker Emmanuel Martin extended the lead in the second half, at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

Yanga will now need just a draw of any kind in the return leg to sail through into the group stage. But they need to play well to survive against Dicha, famous for knocking out five-time African champions, Zamalek of Egypt.

Going into the clash, Yanga have received a major boost, with four key players who missed the first leg due to suspension back in the squad. Dependable central defender, Kelvin Yondani, midfielder Pappy Kabamba Tshishimbi, Said Makapu and Zambian striker, Obrey Chirwa are all back in the squad.

Yanga have been left in some form of disarray following unexpected departure of head coach, George Lwandamina, after the first leg victory. Lwandamina has since re-joined his former club, Zesco United in his native Zambia.

Despite this, Shadrack Nsajigwa, now caretaker trainer believes his charges can survive in Hawassa in the wake of the blow by the sudden departure of Lwandamina. “Lwandamina was like a father in the house, his departure is shocking.

But we will fight and use our chances to do better in the CAF Confederation cup and the domestic league,” Nsajigwa said. “It’s not over yet, we need to play well away. We will defend what we have and look for the chance to score more goals to minimise pressure on us,” he said.

On the other hand, Yanga midfielder, Papy Tshishimbi, insists there is depth in the Yanga squad to return from Hawassa with some piece of good news. “It is a tough game, but we have a good team for the test ahead. The only challenge for us is the striking force.

Our team needs few new faces if we qualify for the group stage,” he said. “We need to reach the group stage. It will be a tough game ahead, but we will work hard to get good results that will take us through. “It is a do or die affair.

Dicha is a good team, but we will fight to avoid defeat and progress to the group stage,” Yanga captain said.

The Jangwani Street lads were relegated to continental second tier club championship after crashing out of the Champions League on 2-1 aggregate loss to impressive Botswana side Township Rollers.

Yanga need to defend their home victory by eliminating the Ethiopians and book 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 Angolans side Sagrada Esperanca on 2-1 goals aggregate following a 2-0 win in Dar es Salaam. Goals were netted by Simon Msuva and Anthony Matheo.

Yanga lost 1-0 in the return leg in Angola. To reach the playoff stage, the Ethiopians had made a biggest upset of the 2018 CAF Confederations Cup after emerging the shock winners of their two legged first round tie, overcoming Egyptians giants Zamalek on penalty shootout in in Cairo, after Dicha alias ‘The Bees of Kawa Tona’ lost 2-1 in regulation time. With the aggregate score tied 3-3, the game went to a shootout and won 4-3 on penalties and dump the Cairo side out of the competition.

Earlier, the Ethiopian eliminated Zanzibar’s Zimamoto.