Win or bust for goal-shy Yanga

Yanga head coach Hans van der Pluijm speaks with his first choice goalkeeper, Deogratias Munishi, during a recent match. The Jangwani giants will need the shot-stopper to be at his best when they face Medeama in Ghana today. PHOTO | FILE


What you need to know:

TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo -- the equal second most successful club in CAF competitions with nine titles -- have set the pace on seven points.


Tarkwa. Victory for Young Africans over Medeama FC of Ghana this evening will bring them into contention for a CAF Confederation Cup semi-finals place.

The clash of two goal-shy teams in Sekondi is among four midweek matchday 4 fixtures in the African version of the Europa League.

The Ghanaian side that hosts today’s match are third in Group A with just two points and two goals from three matches while Yanga, as they are well known, occupy the bottom place with one point and one goal.

TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo -- the equal second most successful club in CAF competitions with nine titles -- have set the pace on seven points.

Mouloudia Bejaia of Algeria, first-time participants in the group stage like Yanga and Medeama, occupy the second spot with five points.

Yanga will be praying for TP Mazembe to beat Mo Bejaia in Lubumbashi tomorrow while they must win to throw the remaining group A ticket wide open.

The Jangwani Street boys and Medeama drew 1-1 in Dar es Salaam 11 days ago in a match marred by woeful finishing from both sides.

Speaking after arriving in the West African country, Yanga head coach Hans van der Pluijm, admitted that it would be a tough match, but exuded confidence that his boys will roll up their sleeves to secure maximum points.

“We are not out of contention yet; we have a real mathematical chance of reaching the semi-final stage should we win our remaining matches. However, if we lose on Tuesday (today), we will definitely be out,” said the Dutchman.

“We can beat Medeama, but if Mo Bejaia manage to beat TP Mazembe in Lubumbashi then we are in trouble. Hopefully, Mazembe will do us a favour.”

He added: “Strikers win matches and one goal from three matches is unacceptable. Our situation is precarious, but we cannot lose hope. Anything is possible in football.”

Mazembe will qualify for the semi-finals if they beat Bejaia on an artificial pitch in southern DR Congo and Medeama and Yanga share the spoils.

After playing out a one-all draw in Dar es Salaam, Medeama goalkeeper Daniel Agyei told the Ghanaian media yesterday: “We will not make the same mistakes again.”

He made a string of superb saves in Tanzania and is convinced his team is due a change of luck.

“This is a crucial match for us and there has been a major emphasis on scoring in our preparations. We must win to keep alive hopes of reaching the knockout stages.”

A paltry eight goals have been scored in six Group A games and four of them have come from Mazembe, with Zambia captain and winger Rainford Kalaba bagging a brace.

FUS Rabat, shock winners of the 2010 Confederation Cup, can take a large step toward winning Group B if they complete a double over fellow Moroccan club Kawkab Marrakech.

Goals from Youssef El Gnaoui, Abdessalam Benjelloun and Mohamed Fouzair earned a 3-1 win in Marrakech and a one-point lead over Kawkab at the top of the table.

Title-holders Etoile Sahel of Tunisia are away to Al Ahly Tripoli of Libya and will be hopeful of securing maximum points again after two Alaya Brigui goals set up a 3-0 triumph two weekends ago.

A win over Ahly, who are hosting the game in Tunis for security reasons, could lift Etoile above Kawkab into second spot.