CAFCC: Tanzanian champions Yanga looking to skin USM Alger at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium

Tanzanian champions Yanga will be looking to capitalize on home advantage and slay Algerian side USM Alger in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup final at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium set for Sunday 28 May starting 4 pm EAT.

Yanga advanced to the final after slaying South African side Marumo Gallants 4-1 on aggregate in the semifinals held earlier in the month.

Alger on the other hand, eliminated Ivorian giants ASEC Mimosas 2-0 on aggregate.

Yanga, who recently clinched the league title have proven themselves a hard nut to crack while playing in front of home fans.

The club can be assured of maximum backing from their fans as all tickets on offer have already been sold off.

Ahead of the match, versatile defender Dickson Job believes that the team will cruise to victory and carry a big advantage to the second leg set for next weekend.

“Our fans and the Tanzanian people should not be worried. They should come to the stadium on Sunday in their numbers and cheer us on. As players, we are prepared and ready to fight for them, and give them joy at the end of the match,” the defender told CAF online.

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Despite the absence of influential midfielder Khalid Aucho who is suspended coach Nasreddine Nabi is confident of leafing his charges to an historic win.

Aucho will miss both legs for accumulating six yellow cards.

“We divided our preparation in three parts; the first one is the physical readiness of the players, the second one is studying the opponent and knowing their strengths and weaknesses and the third is to create a good game plan to win this match. We have done that well and we are ready,” said the Tunisian.

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While they will miss Aucho, one player they are looking on to deliver the goods against Alger is their Congolese forward Fiston Mayele. He has been involved in nine goals in 10 matches, scoring six and assisting three.

“We are lucky to have Fiston in the team. He is one of the best strikers in the continent at the moment. His experience and that of other players will really help us in the match,” added the tactician.

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USM Alger head coach Abdelhak Benchikha says his team does not fear what awaits them ahead, and they are not in the East African nation to seek a draw in the first leg.

“What matters for us is how we have prepared for the match and we have to focus on the strengths and abilities of our team. We will also try to counter on the opponents’ strengths and capitalize on their weaknesses. We have not come here to defend. We came to play football and we will play same way we will play in Algeria,” he told CAF Online.

Young Africans Road to the Final

Group Stage:

o Group D Opponents: Monastir, Real Bamako, TP Mazembe

o Finished top of the group with 13 points from four wins, a single draw and a loss respectively.

Quarter-Finals

o Rivers United 0 – 2 Young Africans | First Leg

o Young Africans 0 – 0 Rivers United | Second Leg

Semi-Finals

o Young Africans 2 – 0 Marumo Gallants | First Leg

o Marumo Gallants 1 – 2 Young Africans | Second Leg

USM Alger Road to the Final

Group Stage

o Group A Opponent’s: Marumo Gallants, Saint Eloi Lupopo, Al Akhdar

o Finished second in the group with 11 points from three wins, two draws and a single loss.

Quarter-Finals

o USM Alger 2 – 0 AS Far | First Leg

o AS Far 3 – 2 USM Alger | Second Leg

Semi-Finals

o Asec Mimosas 0 – 0 USM Alger

o USM Alger 2 – 0 Asec Mimosas