Two officials from the CECAFA Zone are among the official selected by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to officiate the return leg of the 2023/2024 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

After the goalless draw in te first leg, African giants Al Ahly will host Tunisia’s Esperance ST at the Cairo International Stadium on Saturday, May 25th.

Sudan’s Mohammed Abdallah Ibrahim has been selected as the second assistant VAR, while experienced Dixon Aol Okello together with Honorine Emerentienne Eyong will be the security officers.

The match which promises to be a thriller will be handled by referee Jean-Jacques Ngambo Ndala from DR Congo, and assisted by Souru Phatsoane (Lesotho) and Burkina Faso’s Seydou Tiama.

Okello who has also handled FIFA tournaments is not new to the big stage after also handling the 2019 AFCON, 2021 AFCON, CAF Confederation Cup final in Kinshasha 2018 and CAF Confederation Cup final in Nigeria 2022 among others.

Two teams from the CECAFA Zone Simba SC and Young Africans SC, all from Tanzania reached the quarter final stage of the 2023/2024 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

Tanzania Premier League sides and CECAFA flag holders Young Africans SC and Simba SC will this evening face tough tests in return away quarter ties in the 2023/2024 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

Young Africans SC who drew goalless with 2016 champions Mamelodi Sundowns SC will take to the field first at the Loftus Stadium, and later Simba SC who lost the first leg 1-0 will enter the fray against Al Ahly at the Cairo Stadium.

Angel Miguel Gamondi, the Young Africans SC head coach has made it clear that his team has believe in themselves and they are ready to go all out to try and get a positive result o take us to the next stage. Although he did not indicate if Khalid Aucho who missed the first leg due to injury will feature, the Ugandan midfielder is part of the squad in Pretoria.

“We need to use our chances because we failed to convert some during the first leg. We expect a very tough match because we are facing a good side,” added Gamondi.

Mahlatsi Makudubela, Young Africans SC’s South African attacking midfielder has also said they have done their homework and are ready to face the Mamelodi Sundowns.

Later Simba SC who are hungry to make it to the last four after reaching the quarter final stage again last season will be hoping to get their tactical approach right and find the goals that eluded them in the first leg.

Simba SC coach Abdelhak Benchikha has said they have tried to rectify some mistakes and are determined to go all out in the return leg. “We must make sure we score because we are creating many opportunities in-front of goal. But we must also defend well,” added the coach. In the inaugural African Football League last year, Simba SC drew a 2-2 draw in the first leg in Dar es Salaam against Al Ahly, and settled for a 1-1 draw in second leg in Cairo, but the Egyptians qualified for the next phase on an away goals rule.

On Saturday two more quarter final matches will be played with Atletico Petroleos hosting DR COngo’s TP Mazembe in Angola, while ASEC Mimosas play host to Esperance (Tunisia) in Ivory Coast.

The winner between Simba SC and Al Ahly will prepare to battle the winner between Esperance de Tunis and ASEC Mimosas at the semi-final stage, while the winner between Young Africans SC and Mamelodi Sundowns will take on the winners between TP Mazembe (DR Congo) and Angola’s Petro de Luanda.

Hosts Young Africans SC and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns FC have battled to a goalless draw in the first leg of the 2023/2024 TotalEnergies CAF Champions league quarter final stage in a match played in Dar es Salaam on Saturday night.

After a balanced match which saw Young African’s striker Clement Mzize missing two scoring opportunities in each half at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, coach Miguel Gamondi has said they can still qualify for the semi-finals.

Kennedy Musonda also had another chance for Young Africans SC, but Mamelodi Sundowns’ goalkeeper Ronwen Williams was up to the task stopping the shot from close range. The 2016 champions had a last minute free kick at the edge of the box, but missed the target.

“We controlled the match for a long time and failed to take the chances we created. But remember we were playing a good team too,” said Gamondi after the match watched by a capacity crowd.

Gamondi who was assistant coach for Mamelodi Sundowns in 2016 when they lifted the trophy made it clear that he is hopeful they can go to South Africa and get a good result to qualify for the semi-final stage.” We know how to handle them and we shall plan better for the return leg,” added the Algerian.

Ahmed Musa, one of the Young Africans supporters told Cecafaonline.com that he is happy that the team played well. “We played like trues champions although we failed to score,” added Musa.

Another supporter Rema Ali also said the Tanzanian champions had carried the flag high by playing good football against a strong side. “With the draw now we can still go to South Africa and get a good result to qualify for the semi-final,” added Ali.

The two teams will battle in the second leg at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium on April 5^th, 2024.

The winner between Simba SC and Al Ahly will prepare to battle the winner between Esperance de Tunis and ASEC Mimosas at the semi-final stage, while the winner between Young Africans SC and Mamelodi Sundowns will take on the winners between TP Mazembe (DR Congo) and Angola’s Petro de Luanda.

Tanzanian giants Young Africans SC will walk into the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium this evening with nothing less than determination to bring down Mamelodi Sundowns as the two sides battle in the first leg of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions league quarter final.

After another Tanzanian side Simba SC suffered a 1-0 home defeat to Egypt’s Al Ahly on Friday, Young Africans will be more than hungry to jump the hurdle and give Tanzanians and the CECAFA Zone a good Easter holiday present.

Head coach Miguel Angel Gamondi has made it clear that they have no choice but to go all out and get a good result in the first leg. “Yes we are facing a good team, but we have also prepared well and we hope to get good support and motivation from our fans,” added the coach.

Gamondi says they have done their homework and studied the Mamelodi Sundowns team well enough. “We must try to play as a team and take our chances because we know the opponents are also not an easy team,” he added.

The coach made it clear that although they have some injury concerns lately, he is confident that any players picked to feature can do the job. Young Africans SC, who reached the final of the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup last season will be hungry to go a step better in this competition as they have never got to the semi-final stage.

But Rulani Mokwena, the Mamelodi Sundowns coach has also made it clear they cannot underrate Young Africans SC. “We expect a very tough game because we are playing against a good team with a lot of talented players. We respect Young Africans and we know they are a good team that has won 29 titles over time,” added the coach.

Mokwena however says they trust in their abilities and are in Tanzania not to participate, but to play football and win. “Ideally we would want to finish the game in the first leg, but life is not like that,” added Mokwena who led the South African team to victory in the inaugural African Football League last year.