Yanga coach optimistic of win against Rivers Utd

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania representative in the African Champions League, Young Africans (Yanga) will leave the country on Friday aboard a hired Air Tanzania plane.

The team contingent would include 24 players and six officials, according to club’s competition director Thabit Kandoro.

Kandoro said six players, namely, Fiston Mayele, Khalid Aucho, Djuma Shaaban were left out of the squad because they did not have CAF players licences. Other players are Mapinduzi Balama, Yasin Mustapha and David Bryson who are also not in the squad due to injuries.

Kandoro explained that they had decided to hire a plane to avoid connections that would cause their players to be very tired. He said so far all 24 players and official were Covid-19 negative and would have another test before travelling to Harcout.

“Basically, all preparations are done and all players and officials have been granted with visa. We are ready for the match,” said Kandoro.

He noted that the technical bench was working on the mistakes that caused the side to lose at home venue. “We are ready for the battle. It will be very difficult, but we can reverse the results while in Nigeria,” said Kandoro.

Yanga need at least 1-0 to level terms with Rivers of Nigeria on Sunday duel. The team also need 2-0 in order to eliminate the Nigerians from the competition.

For his part, Yanga’s head coach Nabi Nesreddine said they were preparing the squad for the purpose of reversing the results. He shared the good news with the fans of the club that side’s striker Heritier Makambo was fit for the encounter.

Makambo was injured in the first match and was forced to be substituted in the past 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, Azam FC head coach George Lwandamina said it was too early to say that the team had qualified for the second preliminary round of the African Confederation Cup.

Lwandamina said despite winning 3-1 at their home venue, Azam Complex, they still need to stretch their muscles in order to win the return leg to be held at the same venue of Saturday. If Azam FC qualify for the next round, they will face Egypt’s Pyramids.

“I’ve prepared my players technically and tactically. In football, anything can happen. We are taking the match seriously and our aim is to do the best,” he said.