Gamondi: We need to win to stay up

DAR ES SALAAM: YOUNG Africans Coach Miguel Gamondi said their match against Medeama SC of Ghana is a must-win match if they intend to secure a CAF Champions League (CAF CL) quarter- final spot.

The two teams meet at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam today for their fourth group stage match with each side curious to get three points to keep climbing up the group D table.

On top of the group are CAF Champions League champions, Al Ahly with five points followed by Algeria’s CR Belouizdad and Medeama with four points each while Yanga are at the bottom with two points.

“It is an important game because we need to win to stay alive in the group though it is still wide open. For us three points is a necessity in tomorrow’s (today) match,” said Gamondi at a pre-match briefing yesterday in the city.

“Even the players want to win as they know how important the game is for the club. We prepared very well in tactical approach, recovery, and everything to stand a good chance of winning. “We play against a good team, we cannot just be attacking, players must concentrate and apply the technical ap- proach perfectly to try to win the game.”

He added that through video analysis of the last match, they have analysed the weaknesses of Medeama and try to work on them including improving on his side’s flaws that emerged throughout the match. “I have trust in my players and I am sure they will be at the top as they always work hard and are ready to showcase their improved quality,” he said.

Moreover, the Argentine called on Yanga fans to turn up en masse at the stadium and rally behind the team saying their presence in big numbers will mean a lot.

On his part, Madeama trainer Evans Augustin said the fact that Yanga are two points adrift of them speaks how determined they are to win the match. “I need to be cautious and map a strat- egy that will help me to stay out of the defeat, a defeat will bring down the mo- rale of my players, we need to win or take a draw to keep going because the next game against Al Ahly is equally tough,” he said.

He added that they are ready for the match and that the pitch will decide about the winner while insisting that they have come up with plans A and B such that if plan A fails, they will instantly switch to plan B.

Additionally, he revealed that despite being denied access to train ever since they arrived here, it has not taken them off the track, their focus remains on tomorrow’s (today) clash.