Young Africans SC ready for Al Hilal challenge in CAF Champions League

Tanzania Premier League reigning champions Young Africans SC will host Sudan’s Al Hilal in the first Group A match of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League on Tuesday.

Fresh from hiring a new coach Sead Ramovic a few days, Young Africans will hope to make a good start in the group stage and make use of home advantage at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es salaam.

The German coach who will lead Young Africans SC in his first outing says he is happy to come to a club with the best fans in Africa. “I believe that the fans will come to the field in large numbers to welcome me and support the team so that we can get good results,” said Ramovic.

Young Africans who qualified for the group stage after seeing off Vital’O (Burundi) and Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (Ethiopia) in the earlier stages will hope that their key goal poachers Stephane Aziz Ki, Clement Mzizie, Prince Dube and Clatous Chama find their scoring touch. The four players have already netted 13 goals between them in the earlier two rounds.

Bakari Mwamnyeto, the Young Africans SC has made it clear they are aware it will be a very difficult match. “We are well prepared and we shall also count on the fans,” added the captain.

The Sudan giants under the guidance of experienced coach Florent Ibenge have also promised to come out in search of a good start.

“We are going to play against a big opponent who now have a new coach and somethings could have changed. We must adapt well and be at our best to attack and also be able to defend well,” said Ibenge.

Al Hilal who have spent the whole year playing away from home because of the political unrest back in Sudan will look to some of their stars Walieidin Khder Safour and captain Mohamed Abdeirahman Yousif who has already netted three goals in the earlier rounds.

To reach the group stage Ibenge’s team ejected Al Ahly Bengahazi (Libya) and San Pedro (Ivory Coast). The two teams will this time round be all out and try to improve on their performances last season where Young Africans SC lost out to Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) at the quarter-final stage, while Al Hilal failed to go past the group stage.

The other teams in Group A include former African champions TP Mazembe (DR Congo) and Algeria’s MC Alger.