Gamondi impressed with Yanga work-rate

DAR ES SALAAM: YOUNG Africans Coach Miguel Gamondi has expressed his satisfaction on the way his players engaged Al Ahly saying they worked hard in both halves of the game.

Yanga were denied a privilege to walk away with maximum three points from home turf following a 1-1 draw in an electric CAF Champions League (CAF CL) group D encounter at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam over the weekend.

The visitors scored first via a teasing header by Percy Tau in the 87th minute as the South African player used the  lack of communication between Yanga goalie Djigui Diarra and his centre-back Bakari Mwamnyeto.

But, the lead was just temporary as Pacome Zouzoua propelled a powerful strike in the stoppage time of the match enabling his side to cherish one point from the tough match.

“We knew that it would be a difficult game not only for us but for them as well, I am satisfied with the way we played and looking forward to our next games in the competition,” Gamondi said.

On his part, Al Ahly Coach, Marcel Koller said he was grateful with the results though they wanted to grab a second win in a row.

“We were much better in the second half and we managed to score a leading goal though we gave away the lead easily a few minutes later, but generally, it was a good match,” Koller said.

With the outcome, Yanga are the only side in their group yet to win a match no wonder they are plastered at the base of the table win-less with just one point from two assignments.

Up next, the Egyptian side will host CR Belouizdad in Cairo on Friday.

For Yanga, they will travel to face Madeama at Baba Yara Stadium in Ghana on Friday for another tense match for the country’s envoys who need a victory to revive their hopes of going beyond the group stage of the champions league.

As it stands in group D, Al Ahly take the front seat with 4 points in two games while Algerian side CR Belouizdad have 3 points similar to third placed Madeama while Gamondi’s side occupies the bottom slot with one point in two clashes.