Yanga out to eliminate St Louis


MAINLAND champions Young Africans battle to defend their slim 1-0 win in CAF Champions League preliminary round, second leg clash away against St Louis Suns in Victoria, Seychelles, today.
 
Attacking midfielder, Juma Mahadhi scored the solitary goal in the first leg encounter at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam about a week ago. A delegation of 20 players and ten officials made the trip to Seychelles for the crucial battle that will decide which side will progress into the first round of the tournament. Yanga arrived in Victoria on Sunday ready for the match to be played at the Stade Linite amid frost relations from their hosts.

Yanga need only a draw of any kind to eliminate their hosts St Louis and sail into the next stage, where they will face the winner of the second leg game between Botswana’s Township Rollers FC and Sudan’s El Merreikh. Botswana’s side won the first leg by 3-0 goals so the Sudanese need to fight harder to turn around the deficit so as to escape early elimination. However, Yanga left without key striker, Aubrey Chirwa because he is nursing injury.

It is reported that the Zambian striker who missed a penalty in the first leg sustained injury in the Mainland Premier League match against Majimaji FC last Wednesday. Yanga will also continue missing the services of the Zimbabweans duo midfielder, Thaban Kamusoko and striker Donald Ngoma, who have been in long layoff. Burundian striker, Amiss Tambwe is also not fit to make the trip.

Regardless, Zambian tactician George Lwandamina’s squad will have a major boost ahead of St Louis encounter, following the return to the squad of their experienced and dependable central defender Kelvin Yondani, who was on injury list.

Apart from Yondani, First choice Cameroonian goalkeeper Youthe Rostand and defender Vincent Andrew, who missed the first leg clash, have also been declared fit to feature in the encounter. Meanwhile, Zanzibar’s JKU Head Coach, Ali Suleiman Haji, insist his side stand a good chance of making history today away to big guns Zesco United, when the two sides face-off in the second leg of the CAF Champions League preliminary round.

The Zanzibar champions held Zesco to a barren draw at home last week. Zesco, reigning Zambia champions, threw everything at JKU at Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar, but found the home side goalkeeper Juma Ali in inspired form. Records have it that no Zanzibar side has ever eliminated a Zambian club in continental football and Zesco must now ensure to finish the business at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola, a venue they remain unbeaten in the African club championship. However, Suleiman believes history is there to be broken especially after his stubborn charges made life difficult for Zesco last week.

“We got a 0-0 draw at home and now we are looking at getting 1-1 or 2-2 result here in Zambia so that we can qualify to the next round,” Suleiman said in Ndola upon arrival. “Zesco is a big team, but we are going to fight so that we can qualify to the next round.” JKU will be banking on the form of their talented 19-year-old playmaker Fesal Salum Abdala, who had an outstanding game despite goalkeeper Juma Ali taking the man-of-the-match award for standing between Zesco and goal.

Meanwhile, Zesco coach Tenant Chembo has also warned his team that their reputation at home should never be taken for granted. “We have to work hard. We know it is a qualifier and we have to work towards that objective. If we don’t work hard, that record will be meaningless,” Chembo said.

Chembo will be hoping for a more ruthless approach from strikers Lazarus Kambole and Jesse Were as Zesco seek to stay in the race for an unprecedented third straight group stage appearance in continental action. The winners will face either ASEC Mimosa of Cote d’Ivoire or Beninese side, Buffles.

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