Dar es Salaam. There is no way around it—only a victory is needed by Yanga today in their final Group A match of the CAF Champions League against Algeria’s MC Alger.
From the coaching staff under Coach Sead Ramovic, to the players and the fans, there has been a consistent emphasis that this is a must-win match.
Reaching the quarterfinals is highly desired to maintain the club’s pride.
Yes, in case you didn’t know, Yanga will host MC Alger at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam today at 4PM East African time, and a win will secure their spot in the quarterfinals for the second consecutive season something that would be historic for the club in recent years.
However, in a match to be officiated by referee Patrice Milazare from Mauritius, MC Alger is hoping for a draw to join Al Hilal, the group leaders, in advancing to the quarterfinals.
With eight points, a draw would be enough for them to progress.
In the first leg played in Algeria, MC Alger won 2-0, so Yanga must win today to avenge that defeat, secure their place in the quarterfinals, and also accumulate 39 points, which will lift them to 6th place in the CAF rankings, pushing Simba down to 7th.
Yanga’s head coach, Sead Ramovic, commented: “We’re back on our home turf playing against MC Alger.”
“We don’t expect an easy game; it will be tough and competitive. We will respect our opponents; they are a strong team.
“The key is to take advantage of every chance we get while ensuring we don’t make mistakes defensively.”
The dangerous player in the MC Alger squad is Sofiane Bayazid, who scored their second goal in the first match against Yanga in the 90+5 minute.
He also scored against Al Hilal. Of the four goals scored by MC Alger, two are his.
However, Yanga has been strong in attack, having scored four goals in their last two matches after a 1-1 draw against TP Mazembe.
They won 3-1 against TP Mazembe and 1-0 against Al Hilal, signaling their offensive strength compared to earlier losses to Al Hilal and MC Alger.
Coach Khalid Bin Yahia of MC Alger acknowledged Yanga’s strength, stating, “In Algeria, no one underestimates Yanga; they are a team of fighters, physically strong, and capable for 90 minutes.”
“Our players understand the challenges ahead in Tanzania, but the good thing for us is that a draw is enough to take us to the next stage.”
MC Alger will be missing key players, including midfielder Mohamed Zougrana and defender Merwane Khelif due to various reasons, including health issues.
On Yanga’s side, they will also be without right-back Yao Kouassi Attohoula, who is recovering from knee surgery and will be out for about four to six weeks.
With MC Alger needing a draw, they might resort to time-wasting tactics, which teams from North Africa are known for.
Yanga must be vigilant to avoid falling into such traps.
If Yanga qualify for the quarterfinals, they could face teams like AS FAR Rabat or Mamelodi Sundowns (Group B), Orlando Pirates or Al Ahly (Group C), or Esperance or Pyramids (Group D).
The stakes are high for Yanga today, Saturday, while their rivals Simba will play the following day, Sunday, against another Algerian team, CS Constantine, which leads Group A of the CAF Confederation Cup, even though both teams have already qualified for the quarterfinals.
Simba’s match against CS Constantine will be played without fans after CAF imposed a one-match ban on Simba due to the violence that occurred during their 2-1 win over CS Sfaxien on December 15, 2024.
This sanction includes a fine of $40,000, and although Simba initially faced a two-match ban, the penalty was reduced.
Simba’s coach, Fadlu Davids, expressed that playing without fans is a big blow, as they had hoped to fill the stadium with supporters.
Despite this, he remains focused on his goal: “We are eager to win this match and top the group. Whether we have fans or not, we will play with full determination, and by God’s grace, we will succeed.”
Fadlu knows that finishing top of the group is important, as it will make their path to the semifinals easier. “We have to finish top of the group to avoid tough teams like Zamalek, who are very experienced, and Al Masry, which are also strong,” said Fadlu.
Simba’s defense must be solid, especially after conceding two quick goals in their first match against Constantine.
Fadlu hopes to avoid the same mistakes in this crucial game.
Should Simba finish first in Group A, their potential quarterfinal opponents could include Stellenbosch (South Africa), ASC Jaraaf (Senegal), or ASEC Mimosas (Ivory Coast), while finishing second could result in a matchup with RS Berkane (Morocco), USM Alger (Algeria), or Zamalek (Egypt).
This weekend is packed with exciting matches.
Apart from Yanga and Simba, there are also other captivating fixtures in these continental competitions.
In the CAF Champions League, six teams have already qualified for the quarterfinals: Al Hilal (Group A), AS FAR Rabat (Group B), Orlando Pirates and Al Ahly (Group C), and Esperance and Pyramids (Group D).
In Group B, AS FAR Rabat, with nine points, will play away against Mamelodi Sundowns, who need a win to reach 11 points and top the group. A draw would also suffice for AS FAR to advance.
Raja Casablanca, with five points, need a home win against AS Maniema and also hopes Mamelodi Sundowns lose, to qualify.
In Group C, Al Ahly (10 points) host Orlando Pirates (11 points), and a win for Al Ahly will see them top the group, while a draw for Orlando Pirates keeps them at the top. CR Belouizdad vs Stade d’Abidjan completes the group matches.
Group D is already decided with Esperance (10 points) and Pyramids (10 points) qualifying, but the final matchups will decide who finishes first. Esperance host Sagrada while Pyramids play Djoliba.
In the CAF Confederation Cup, six teams have qualified: CS Constantine and Simba (Group A), RS Berkane and Stellenbosch (Group B), USM Alger (Group C), and Zamalek (Group D).
In Group B, RS Berkane vs Stellenbosch and Stade Malien vs Desportivo da LS are just formality games, as both teams have already qualified.
In Group C, USM Alger play Jaraaf, and ASEC Mimosas play Orapa United.
Jaraaf only need a draw to secure second place, while ASEC, with five points, need a win and hopes for Jaraaf to lose to advance.
Group D has Zamalek already qualified, and three other teams—Al Masry (6 points), Enyimba (5 points), and Black Bulls (4 points) can still qualify depending on the final results.
Zamalek host Enyimba, and Al Masry play Black Bulls.
