For Simba SC’s part, the Msimbazi Street side was up against Zambian giants, Power Dynamos, in the latter’s backyard, Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola, while Yanga headed into battle against Sudanese team Al Merrikh in Kigali, Rwanda.
It should be noted here that last weekend’s encounters were merely the first legs of Simba SC’s and Yanga’s CAF Champions League Second Preliminary Round ties.
Ultimately though, Simba SC was unable to garner a valuable win against their hosts Power Dynamos, which means that the Msimbazi Street side unfortunately failed to break the jinx as the local juggernauts have not claimed a victory on Zambian soil since 1979 to date.
Indeed, in what was a pulsating clash, Simba SC and Power Dynamos ended up sharing the spoils in a 2-2 stalemate, which sets up a high-stakes second-leg showdown here in the country.
In the second leg here at home, Simba SC should strive to ensure that their defense is watertight as conceding any goals could throw a spanner in the works of the club’s plans to excel in the CAF Champions League this season.
As for Yanga, they are in a completely different boat as the Jangwani Street outfit impeccably gained a sublime 2-0 win against the Sudanese club Al Merrikh in the away first leg in Kigali, Rwanda last Saturday.
Yanga, which does not have a flattering track record in the CAF Champions League, will be seeking that much-needed killer instinct in the second leg here at home so that they will be able to oust their Sudanese counterparts from the competition.
It should be recalled that Yanga fans will fancy their prospects of seeing off Al Merrikh, following the Jangwani Street side’s sensational run to the final of the CAF Confederations Cup last season, which they sadly lost in gut-wrenching fashion to Algerian titans USM Alger.
Admittedly, while the CAF Champions League is an entirely different kettle of fish from the CAF Confederation Cup, legions of Yanga fans will be encouraged by their team’s overall sterling performance in the CAF Confederation Cup last season, which they will likely feel ought to stand them in good stead for their blockbuster second leg clash against Al Merrikh.
Thus, with a berth in the next round of the CAF Champions League at stake, one fervently hopes that Yanga will be home and dry at the end of the second leg, which will ensure that their quest for continental football glory continues.
Speaking of glory, it is doubtlessly true that the African-American teenage sensation, Coco Gauff, is still basking in the glory of her remarkable US Open triumph which happened a little over a week ago.
Indeed, the gutsy African-American teenage tennis star, whose career is still in its nascent stage, has won many plaudits for her breakthrough grand slam success recently.
Thus, after having claimed her first grand slam trophy, it is hoped that Coco can continue to produce the goods, which will ensure that she is rightly viewed as an inspiration to all young black girls and women throughout the globe.
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