Yanga will travel to Lilongwe, Malawi, ahead of their clash against Silver Strikers FC on Saturday at 4:00 pm EAT, while Simba will head to Mbabane, Eswatini, to face Nsingizini Hotspurs on Sunday, also with a 4pm kickoff.
Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s CAF Champions League representatives, Young Africans (Yanga) and Simba SC, are set to depart today ahead of the first leg of the second preliminary round of the continental competition.
Yanga will travel to Lilongwe, Malawi, ahead of their clash against Silver Strikers FC on Saturday at 4:00 pm EAT, while Simba will head to Mbabane, Eswatini, to face Nsingizini Hotspurs on Sunday, also with a 4pm kickoff.
These fixtures are crucial for both clubs as they aim to establish a strong position in the tie and increase their chances of qualifying for the group stage of the prestigious CAF Champions League.
Yanga’s squad will be without three key players, Pacome Zouzoua, Prince Dube, and Duke Abuya who are expected to rejoin the team upon arrival in Malawi.
The trio had been away on national team duty during the FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Zouzoua featured for Ivory Coast, who defeated Kenya’s Harambee Stars 3-0 to secure World Cup qualification.
Abuya was with Kenya, while Prince Dube represented Zimbabwe and will join Yanga from South Africa. Players who will leave today includes Celestin Ecua and Lassine Kouma from Chad, as well as Bakari Mwamnyeto, Israel Mwenda, and Ibrahim “Bacca” Hamad from Tanzania’s Taifa Stars.
Also making the trip are Dickson Job and Clement Mzize, whose participation in the match remains uncertain, as they are considered 50-50 for selection. Meanwhile, Simba SC will travel with a full-strength squad, including players who were recently with their national teams.
This includes Ugandan striker Steven Mukwala and Moussa Camara of Guinea. Morris Abraham, Yusuph Kagoma, and Wilson Nangu, who were with the Taifa Stars, have rejoined Simba ahead of the match.
The team is expected to arrive in Mbabane ready to stake an early advantage in the tie. Both Tanzanian giants are determined to make a strong start in the second preliminary round.
