Simba SC also delivered a professional performance in Francistown, Botswana, where they edged Gaborone United 1-0.
Dar es Salaam. Tanzania Mainland clubs Young Africans (Yanga), Simba, Azam FC, and Singida Black Stars have taken a major step toward the next round of the CAF continental club championships after securing crucial away victories over the weekend.
In the CAF Champions League, Yanga sent a strong message with a convincing 3-0 win over Wiliete FC of Angola in Luanda.
The reigning Mainland champions dominated the match with composure and tactical discipline, putting themselves firmly in control of the tie.
A single draw at home in Dar es Salaam will now be enough to seal their passage to the next stage.
Simba SC also delivered a professional performance in Francistown, Botswana, where they edged Gaborone United 1-0.
The Reds of Msimbazi showed their continental pedigree, managing the game with patience before striking decisively. Like their rivals, they need only a draw in the return leg at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium to progress.
In the CAF Confederation Cup, Azam FC overcame El Merriekh Bentiu of South Sudan with a 2-0 win.
The “Ice-Cream makers” displayed attacking flair and defensive solidity to claim an advantage that leaves them comfortably positioned ahead of the second leg in Dar es Salaam.
Singida Black Stars capped off the impressive weekend for Tanzanian football with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Rayon Sport in Kigali, Rwanda.
Playing against a team known for their passionate home support, Singida held firm before grabbing a decisive goal that now makes them strong favourites to advance.
The victories mean all four clubs will only need to avoid defeat in the return legs, which are scheduled between September 26 and 28 in Dar es Salaam.
Local fans are expected to turn out in large numbers to cheer on the teams as they look to complete the job and extend Tanzania’s strong presence on the continental stage.
Looking ahead, Yanga’s potential opponents in the next round will be either Elgeco Plus of Madagascar or Malawi’s Silver Strikers.
The first leg between those sides ended 1-1, leaving the tie delicately balanced. Simba, meanwhile, could face either Simba Bhora of Zimbabwe or Eswatini’s Nsingizini Hotspurs, who played their first leg yesterday.
In the Confederation Cup, Azam FC are likely to meet the winner between AS Sport of Djibouti and Zanzibar’s KMKM.
That tie remains finely poised, with the first leg having taken place yesterday. Singida Black Stars, on the other hand, may meet Burundi’s Flambeau du Centre or Libya’s Al Akhdar. Flambeau claimed a 2-1 advantage in the first leg, giving them a slim edge heading into the decider.
With four Tanzanian clubs on the verge of qualification, optimism is running high within the nation’s football fraternity.
Should all advance, it would underline Tanzania’s growing reputation as a rising force in African club football, where consistency and competitiveness are increasingly becoming the hallmark of its representatives.
