Tambwe brace sinks BDF

Dar es Salaam. A brace of headers from Amissi Tambwe gave Young Africans a 2-0 win over Botswana’s DBF X1 in an exciting CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round, first leg at the National Stadium yesterday.

The Burundian forward, who joined Yanga a few months ago from their traditional foes Simba, scored a goal in each half to give the hosts the victory they needed to put one foot in the next stage of the continent’s second-tier competition.

He made the breakthrough twenty seconds into the match with a superb header off a Simon Msuva corner.

Yanga, needing a win to make a flying start in the championship, enjoyed the lion’s share of the first half, and almost went two up in the 24th minute when Tambwe, with only goalkeeper Takudzwa Ndoro to beat, shot wide.

Another chance for the hosts to double their lead came in the 32nd minute when Mrisho Ngasa broke through, only to see his close range effort narrowly miss target.

Five minutes to half time, BDF ought to have levelled matters when striker Vincent Nzombe’s goal-bound shot was blocked by defender Nadir “Cannavaro” Haroub with goalkeeper Ally Mustapha well beaten.

On resumption, BDF pressed up front relentlessly for an equaliser and their efforts almost paid off in the 54th minute when a sizzling shot by Nzombe went a few centimetres wide.

Tambwe made sure of the win for Yanga a minute later when he rose above the Botswana team defenders to head home a cross by Ngasa.

Yanga now need just a draw in the return leg two weeks later in Gaborone to make it to the next stage of the tournament.

Line-ups:

Yanga: Ally Mustapha, Mbuyu Twite, Oscar Joshua, Kelvin Yondani, Nadir Haroub, Salum Telela, Simon Msuva, Haruna Niyonzima, Amissi Tambwe, Mrisho Ngassa and Andrey Coutinho.

BDF X1: Takudzwa Ndoro, Pelontle Lepole, Othusitse Mpharitlhe, Kelegetse Mogomomtsi, Mompati Thuma, Mosha Gaolaolwe, Master Masitara, Bonolo Ghuduhudu, Vicent Nzombe, Thato Ogoptse and Kabelose Akanyeng.