DAR ES SALAAM: YOUNG Africans head coach Sead Ramovic remains confident that his team still has a chance to progress to the quarter-finals of the CAF Champions League, despite a 2-0 defeat in their opening group stage match.
The match, played at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday, saw Yanga fall to Al Hilal at home, leaving them in a difficult position in Group A campaigns. In the other group A fixture, TP Mazembe and MC Alger played to a goalless draw at TP Mazembe’s home ground in Lubumbashi, DRC.
As things stand, Al Hilal leads the group with three points, while TP Mazembe and MC Alger are tied on one point each. Yanga, having no points, sits at the bottom of the table after the first round of fixtures.
However, Coach Ramovic remains optimistic, emphasising that the loss does not signal the end of their campaign.
“We still have five more matches to play and our goal remains to reach the next stage,” he said.
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Al Hilal’s head coach, Florent Ibenge, explained his tactical approach, which focused on a defensive strategy paired with quick counter-attacks.
“Yanga started strong, but we decided to sit back and absorb the pressure. After scoring our first goal, we ensured they didn’t get any clear opportunities to score,” said Ibenge.
Despite the disappointing start, Ramovic remains confident in his team’s ability to bounce back, as Yanga looks to correct their mistakes and improve their performance in upcoming fixtures.
