History maker Yanga aim higher than semis

IT was a colourful weekend for Young Africans fans and supporters in and outside the country after their team advanced to the semifinal stage of the Confederation Cup over the weekend.

The barren draw with Rivers United of Nigeria at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium earned the Tanzanian envoys a 2-0 aggregate win that was enough to firmly place them at the semis for the first time since the club’s formation in 1935.

Thus the milestone the Tanzanian envoys have achieved wrote a new chapter in the club’s history.

Just after their aggregate victory, the Minister for Culture, Arts, and Sports, Pindi Chana, hailed Yanga for a milestone.

She wrote on the Ministry’s Twitter and Instagram handle: I congratulate the Yanga club for qualifying for the semi-finals of the CAF Confederation Cup, and I wish them well in the next stage.

Following the achievement, the club Vice-President Arafat Ally Haji noted that it is not the end as they aim to advance further than the semis stage.

“This victory rewards President Samia Suluhu Hassan for her support in the sports sector. It is the wish of the fans of our club, the players and the technical bench that we do not end up in the semi-finals but advance to the finals.

“Therefore, we commit to working hard and securing the next stage; that’s the final.”

Arafat Haji, made remarks after the encounter as they celebrated their achievement.

The best position Yanga reached was the quarter-final stage of the African Club Championship in 1969 and 1970.

They also reached the African Cup Winners’ Cup quarter-finals in 1995.

Yanga became the second club, after Simba in 1974, to advance to the CAF inter-club semi-finals following yesterday’s achievement.

Yanga’s semi-final opponents are Marumo Gallants of South Africa, who eliminated Pyramid of Egypt with a 2-1 aggregate win.

Other than club officials making remarks, the players also commented. Among them was Khalid Aucho, who wrote on his Instagram handle: “Always Allah’s blessings work; see you in the semi-finals.”

Fiston Mayele also wrote: “It was not easy, but we are in the semi-final, we will not be satisfied. We will fight till the end.”

Along the city, groups of Yanga fans sang songs, parading from Benjamin Mkapa Stadium while motorcycle riders hit the horns buttons along Dar es Salaam’s streets.

Some club fans blowed Vuvuzela together with those who paraded on the road.

Yanga’s traditional rivals Simba still parade the superior record in 1993, being the CAF Winners’ Cup finalists.

In 1974 they finished as semi-finalists in the African Cup of Champions Clubs.

Rivers, who lost 2-0 at home, came a better side on Sunday.