CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Yanga out to clear CBE hurdle
ETHIOPIA: ALL is set as Young Africans take on CBE SA in the first leg match of the CAF Champions League (CAF CL). The second preliminary round will be held at Abebe Bikila Stadium in Ethiopia today from 3:00 pm.
The duo will meet again in the return leg clash at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Saturday next week and the overall winner earns a ticket to venture into the group stage of the contest.
Founded in 1982, CBE are making their maiden appearance in the Champions League, an opportunity they got after clinching the Ethiopian Premier League title last season.
Prior to that, they competed in the CAF Confederation Cup (CAF CC) twice in 2005 and 2010 but got eliminated in the first round hence they are still gaining experience in the CAF inter-club competitions.
On the other hand, Yanga is searching for their second consecutive Champions’ League group stage qualification after doing the same last year and seeing their journey ending in the quarterfinals.
In his recent interview, Yanga Head Coach Miguel Gamondi said the fact that their opponents are making their first appearance in the league is not a guarantee that it will be a smooth ride for his team.
“This is indeed their first time to feature in this competition, but we have to be cautious because these teams, when playing against a big club of Yanga calibre, play with strong determination.
“We just need to focus on ourselves and play our game while respecting them throughout the match… remember, they are the champions of Ethiopia and they won their previous Champions League games to make it to the second preliminary round,” Gamondi said.
He also urged his players who were on national team duties of their respective countries in Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 qualifiers to quickly tune their minds and concentrate on the Champions League.
ALSO READ: Samia fast-tracks stadiums… Promises massive sponsorship deals for Simba, Yanga
“These are the two different competitions that is why I need them to fully focus on our next two matches because we want to make another record of reaching the group stage twice in a row,” he stated.
The Jangwani street-based outfits are the solo envoys in this year’s Champions League following the premature exit of Azam who were ousted in the first preliminary round by APR of Rwanda, courtesy of a 2-1 aggregate victory by the latter.
This outcome in one way or the other compelled Azam management to dissolve the club’s entire technical bench that was being led by Senegalese Coach Youssouph Dabo.
