DAR ES SALAAM: IN a heart-breaking defeat on home soil, Young Africans were left reeling after suffering a 0-2 loss to Sudanese side Al Hilal in their CAF Champions’ League Group A clash at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam today.
Al Hilal seized control in the second half, breaking a goalless deadlock to seal a 2-0 victory, with goals from Adama Coulibali and Yasir Mozamil.
The Sudanese side walked away with three points, climbing to the top of Group A, their smiles wide as they savoured the sweet taste of triumph.
In stark contrast, Young Africans were left drowning in sorrow, their hopes for a strong start to the Champions League campaign dashed.
This defeat saw them slump to the bottom of the group, with their misery compounded by TP Mazembe and MC Alger playing to a goalless draw at Stade TP Mazembe in Lubumbashi, leaving the home side in a deep hole from which they must now claw their way out.
Al Hilal’s first goal came from a masterclass of counter-attacking precision, and it was all thanks to the brilliance of Adama Coulibali.
As Ibrahim Hamad pressed him hard, it seemed like a challenge he could win, but Coulibali’s strength, balance, and speed turned the tables. With a deft twist, he escaped Hamad’s grasp, whose slip left him scrambling in the dust.
In that moment of space, Coulibali charged forward, eyes locked on goal, with only goalkeeper Djigui Diarra standing between him and the opening strike.
Diarra stretched his legs wide, in an attempt to block the impending shot, but Coulibali remained unflustered. With calm precision, he guided the ball expertly between Diarra’s legs, threading it through the narrow gap, and watched it nestle into the back of the net.
It was a cruel moment for Diarra, who had done everything to thwart the shot. Still, Coulibali’s composed decision-making and flawless execution proved the difference, giving Al Hilal the lead in style.
As the match neared its final moments, Al Hilal struck again, this time through the electrifying Yasir Mozamil.
It was a moment of brilliance, ignited by Abdelrazig Omer, who spotted a gap in the Young Africans defence and sent a perfectly weighted pass to Mozamil on the left flank. Unmarked and with a burst of speed, Mozamil controlled the ball with elegance, taking full advantage of the space before him.
With defenders rushing in from behind and goalkeeper Djigui Diarra charging forward to close him down, Mozamil remained cool under pressure.
His deft touch allowed him to cut inside, entering the box with supreme composure. As Diarra lunged in an attempt to challenge, and the defenders scrambled to catch up, Mozamil found the gap—like a predator seizing an opening—and slotted the ball past Diarra, shaking the Young Africans’ net and sealing his side’s victory.
It was a moment of clinical finishing, as Mozamil’s pace, vision, and composure left the home side helpless, unable to stop Al Hilal from doubling their lead.
