Dar es Salaam. Tanzanian Premier League champions, Yanga have reignited their hopes of advancing past the group stage of the CAF Champions League following a handsome 3-1 victory against TP Mazembe at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Saturday (today).
The win marks a significant turnaround for Yanga, who had been sitting at the bottom of Group A.
With this result, they now have four points, the same as MC Alger, who will face the group leaders, Al Hilal, in Libya on Sunday (tomorrow).
The match began with Mazembe taking an early lead in the 16th minute, thanks to a penalty converted by goalkeeper Alioune Badara Faty.
Despite the setback, Yanga showed resilience and managed to equalize in the 33rd minute.
Clement Mzize fired a powerful strike from outside the box, beating TP Mazembe’s goalkeeper, Faty.
Both teams headed into halftime tied at 1-1, but Yanga came back stronger in the second half, displaying relentless attacking prowess.
Within the first 15 minutes of the second half, Yanga scored two more goals. Azizi Ki netted the second goal, followed by Mzize, who scored his second of the match, securing Yanga’s first win in the group stage.
Currently sitting in third place in Group A, Yanga need to win their remaining two matches to secure a spot in the quarterfinals for the second consecutive season.
The team will face MC Alger and Al Hilal, with one match being an away fixture against Al Hilal and the other at home.
Earlier in the competition, Yanga lost their first two matches against MC Alger and Al Hilal, conceding two goals in each game.
However, this latest victory against TP Mazembe has revitalized their campaign and boosted their chances of advancing to the knockout stages.
With two critical matches remaining, Yanga’s focus will be on maintaining their momentum and achieving the much needed victories to make history once again.
