CAF Champions League
Young Africans, Simba SC face tricky away tests in CAF Champions League quarters
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.
Tanzania Premier League side Young Africans SC have failed to book a place in the quarter-final stage of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
Young Africans SC needed nothing less than victory against MC Alger in the last group match played in Dar es Salaam on Saturday, but settled for a goalless draw.
Coach Sead Ramovic’s team revived their hopes last weekend after defeating table leaders Al Hilal (Sudan) 1-0 in an away match played in Mauritania. The draw against the Algerian side meant that they finished third in the group with 8 points.
In the second Group A match played in DR Congo, bottom placed TP Mazembe shocked Al Hilal 4-0. Jean Diouf and Ibrahim Keita gave TP Mazembe a 2-0 half time lead.
After the interval Merceil Ngimbi Vumbi increased the lead, and Suleman Shaibu converted a late penalty to make it 4-0.
Al Hilal finished top with 10 points, while MC Alger came second with 9 points and TP Mazembe bottom with 5 points.
Young Africans SC have picked a 1-0 win away to Al Hilal to improve their chances of qualifying for the knock-out stage of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
Stephane Aziz Ki netted the only goal after 7 minutes in the Group A match played on Sunday at the Cheikha Ould Boïdiya Stadium in Nouakchott, Mauritania.
The Tanzanian side who lost their opening Group match 2-0 to the same Sudan team last year made sure they picked the revenge as they dominated most of the match.
Although Al Hilal have already qualified for the quarter final stage with 10 points, Young Africans SC closed the gap as they moved to 7 points, one behind second placed MC Alger from Algeria.
Young Africans SC will now need to register a win in their last Group A match against MC Alger on January 18th, 2025 at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam. Last year Tanzanian sides Young Africans SC and Simba SC reached the quarter-final stage.
Sudan Premier League reigning champions Al Hilal are the first team to book a quarter final slot in the on-going 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
Coach Folrent Ibenge’s team battled to to a 1-1 draw against MC Alger in a Group A match played on Sunday at the Cheikha Ould Boïdiya Stadium in Nouakchott, Mauritania.
Sofiane Bayazid gave the Algerian side an early 5th minute lead, but the Al Hilal fought back strongly to level matters through Jean Claued Girumugisha. The Burundian International dribbled past two defenders and unleashed a hard shot that the MC Alger goalkeeper failed to stop.
The draw saw Al Hilal kept top of the table with 10 points and qualify for the knock out stage with two more matches to spare.
“We are very happy that we managed to keep pushing despite conceding an early goal. The players have worked hard to get the draw and qualify for the next stage,” said Ibenge.
Al Hilal who are playing all their matches away from home because of the political unrest in Sudan have won three group matches and drawn once.
The Sudan side will next host Tanzania’s Young Africans SC on January 12th, 2025, before they play the last match against TP Mazembe six days later in Lubumbashi.
Tanzania Premier League giants Young Africans SC have stopped DR Congo’s TP Mazembe 3-1 in a Group A match of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
The win sends Young Africans SC’s first to four points and revives their hopes of picking squeezing through to the quarter-final stage.
After 16 minutes TP Mazambe’s goalkeeper Alioune Badara Faty stepped forward and converted a penalty sending goalkeeper Djigui Diarra the wrong way.
But Young Africans SC who are welcoming the return of midfielder and Uganda Cranes skipper Khalid Aucho leveled matters after 33 minutes through Clement Nzize.
Nzize unleashed a hard shot from out side the box that rested at the back of the next to send the home fans jubilating at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.
In the second half Young Africans intensified their search for more goals and it paid off when Stephane Aziz Ki made it 2-1 after 56 minutes. Four minutes later Nzize netted his second goal of the day.
“I am happy that the team has worked hard to finally get this win. We need to continue working hard because we have more matches to come,” said Young Africans SC head coach Sead Ramovic.
Sudan’s Al Hilal who hosts MC Alger (Algeria) on Sunday currently lead Group A with nine points.
Table Group A
P W D L GF GA GD Pts
Al Hilal 3 3 0 0 5 1 4 9
MC Alger 3 1 1 1 2 1 1 4
Y. Africans 4 1 1 2 4 6 -2 4
TP Mazembe 4 0 2 2 3 6 -3 2
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