Yanga keen to finish off Rivers

YOUNG Africans are upbeat to finish off Rivers United as they host them the second leg of CAF Confederation Cup’s quarter-final match at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium today.

Buoyant with 2-0 away win, Yanga just need a draw to advance to the event’s semis though the club’s officials said that should not give them 100 per cent  assurance to sail through.

“Much work is required,” said the club’s Media and Communication Manager Ali Kamwe ahead of their today’s game.

The two teams play in the second leg match of the competition as the overall winner progresses to the semifinals.

“Winning our first leg duel in Nigeria does not make us perfect, there are some challenges which emerged during the match and efforts to clear them are still going on.

“As such, we are conducting video and tactical training sessions for the purpose of keeping our players in combat mood and at the same time knowing how our opponents approach their away games,” Kamwe said.

He added that so far, they have no injury concern in the team a quality he said will enable Head Coach Nasreddine Nabi to have a wide selection option.

Moreover, he pointed out that Bernard Morrison is adapting well to training sessions after picking hamstring injury which deprived him an opportunity to be featured in the first leg clash in Nigeria.

“For now, we do not want to risk health of our players that is why whenever a player is not fit to play, we allow someone to cover his space,” he said.

Yanga go into the match with a 2-0 lead they sourced in the first round encounter played in Nigeria making the semifinal slot hanging in their hands.

Until now, Yanga striker Fiston Mayele is the leading scorer in the confederation cup with five goals to his name and the first goal he scored against Rivers United has recently been voted by CAF as the best Confederation Cup quarter-final goal.

According to the available statistics of the played confederation cup first leg quarters, Nasreddine Nabi’s men are the only side which escaped with away win.

The game between Pyramids versus Marumo Gallants ended in a 1-1 draw while Monastir fought to a barren draw with  ASEC Mimosas while US Alger registered a 2-0 home success over AS FAR.