The country’s representatives in the forthcoming continental clubs championships, Azam FC have responded positively to the recent released fixtures, while Young Africans remained tight-lipped on the draws.
Ernie Brandts
Yanga are likely to face record 7th time African champions Egyptians, Al Ahly in the first round of the CAF Champions League, if they make it though past a weak side– Komorozine de Domoni of Comorro, in the preliminary round encounter.
Yanga seemed unwilling to comment on the draw for the 18th edition of the CAF Champions League 2014 which was held on Monday, in Marrakech, Morocco, as some of their officials who were reached for comment were tight-lipped.
“I’m in a meeting and would not wish to comment about the issue at the moment,” said Yanga’s Assistant coach, Fred Felix Minziro, when reached for comments. Minziro referred the ‘Daily News’ reporter to the club’s Information Officer, Baraka Kizuguto, whose mobile phone and that of the head coach, Ernie Brandts were switched off.
And the act is interpreted as an alarm about their impending first round match against the defending champions Al Ahly from Egypt. Yanga have bad memories with Egyptians teams and have never managed to beat the hoodoo.
Fifty-two (52) clubs will be involved in the preliminary round to be joined by holders Al Ahly (Egypt), Coton Sport (Cameroon), TP Mazembe (DR Congo), Hilal (Sudan), CS Sfaxien (Tunisia) and Esperance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia) at the 1/16th round.
While in the 11th edition of the Orange CAF Confederation Cup 2014 Forty-two (42) clubs will be involved in the preliminary round to be joined by ASEC Mimosas (Cote d’Ivoire), Ismaily (Egypt), Wadi Degla (Egypt), Djoliba (Mali), MAS (Morocco), Bayelsa United (Nigeria), Warri Wolves (Nigeria), El Ahly Shandy (Sudan), Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia) Club Athletic Bizertin (Tunisia) and Zesco United (Zambia) at the 1/16th round Yanga last met Al Ahly in 2009, in which the Jangwani Street side was comprehensively beaten 4-0 aggregate.
Al Ahly won 3-0 in the first leg in Cairo and went ahead to win 0-1 in the return leg at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam as Simba fans cheered the Egyptians throughout the match. Simba fans action definitely did not go down well with Yanga fans, who vowed to retaliate when Simba host a foreign outfit.
The habit flourished during the African Champions League’s first round, return leg match between Simba and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) giants, Tout Puissant Mazembe, played at the National Stadium in April 3, 2011, in which the Congolese won 3-2.
A section of Yanga fans were said to have been given TP Mazembe jerseys free of charge by the Congolese side’s officials so that the Yanga fans could support Mazembe, something they did diligently with Simba eventually crashing out after losing to Mazembe by 6-3 goals aggregate, as they had conceded a 3-1 defeat in the first leg duel.
Simba did the same recently when Yanga played host the Egyptian’s Zamalek. On the other hand, Azam FC, country’s representatives in the CAF Confederation Cup tournament have set the bar higher than what they had achieved during the previous campaign.
Speaking with the ‘Daily News’, Team Manager Jemedari Said stated that they are happy with the fixture released earlier this week which shows that they will take experienced Mozambiqucan side Ferroviario Da Beira in the preliminary round.
According to Said, they were expecting to have such challenge in the competition and they are aiming at exceeding their previous achievement in the competition as they have an experienced coach– Joseph Omog from Cameroon, who previously coached Congo Brazzaville giants AC Leopards and guided the club to CAF Confederation Cup trophy in 2012.
“It’s like we had predicted well that we could face such challenge, that’s why we decided to pick the Cameroonian coach, who has much experience with the competition to replace Stewart Hall, so he could proceed from where the Englishman left,” he added.
He also said currently they are not planning for a camp outside the country and they will utilise the upcoming Mapinduzi Cup tournament which will involve several experienced teams from outside and inside the country, to prepare their squad for the Confederation Cup plus the second leg of Mainland Premier League.
Other plans will be unveiled by Coach Omog who is to jet in on Friday from his homeland Cameroon ready to commence preparations of his squad for the duo assignments.
Azam will commence their campaign in the Confederation Cup at home on February 7th ,8th and 9th and the away second leg will be on February 14, 15 and 16 next year. If they managed to overcome their opponents from Mozambique they will face St. Michel from Seychelles or ASSM Elgeco Plus from Madagacar in the first round.
Source Tanzania Daily News
