Yanga, Simba turn focus to CAF formality games

Dar es Salaam. Football giants, Young Africans (Yanga) and Simba, have turned focus to their final group stage matches of the continental club championships after the busy schedule of the national football team (Taifa Stars).

The two teams have set a new record in East Africa after both having qualified for the quarterfinals of the continental club championships.

No other country in the region has had two teams qualified for the knockout stage of the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup in the same season.

Simba will be in action on Friday playing against Raja Club Athletic at the Venue Stade Mohamed V in Casablanca, Morocco, from 10pm (1am Tanzanian time on Saturday) and Yanga will face TP Mazembe on Sunday from 4pm at the Venue Stade du TP Mazembe in Lubumbashi, DR Congo.

Already the first batch of Simba players have arrived in Morocco while the second group will leave today. Both Simba and Raja Club Athletic are in group F and have managed to enter the quarterfinal stage.

However, Simba will miss the services of their five players in the encounter. The players are Mohammed Hussein alias Tshabalala, Jonas Mkude, Ismael Sawadogo, Augustine Okrah and Mohamed Ouattara.

The team’s head coach, Roberto Oliveira Gonçalves do Carmo alias Robertinho, said they are going to prove their worth in the encounter despite facing a tough assignment.

Robertinho said his players are in good form and ready to deliver their best in the match.

“We lost 3-0 at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, this time around all my players have adopted my teaching and are seeking to revenge,” said Robertinho.

Meanwhile, Yanga players are scheduled to leave tomorrow for Lubumbashi ahead of the formality match of the CAF Confederation Cup against TP Mazembe on Sunday.

Yanga are currently in the top position of Group D of the Confederation Cup and have already qualified for the knockout stage.

In their first leg of the competition, Yanga won 3-1 at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

Despite having qualified for the knockout stage, Yanga head coach Nasreddine Nabi said they are taking the encounter seriously and target victory in order to dominate the top position.

Yanga are at the top with 10 points while Tunisian side Union Sportive Monastirienne are placed second with the same number of points.

“Our target is to finish in the top position. In order to achieve that, you need to win and not otherwise. All of my players are in good form and ready to deliver their best,” said Nabi.