Yanga loses to USM Alger in 2022/23 CAF CC final first leg

29May 2023
Adam Fungamwango
Dar es Salaam
Sport
The Guardian
Yanga loses to USM Alger in 2022/23 CAF CC final first leg

​​​​​​​TANZANIA’s Yanga's hopes of clinching this season's CAF Confederation Cup trophy have suffered a knock after succumbing to 2-1 loss to USM Alger of Algeria in the first leg of the tournament's final that took place at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam yesterday.

Tanzania's Yanga defender, Dickson Job (L), challenges Algeria's USM Alger goal-getter Tumisang Orebonye when they faced each other in first leg of the 2022/23 CAF Confederation Cup final which took place in Dar es Salaam yesterday. PHOTO: COURTESY OF YANGA

Forward Aymen Mahious put USM Alger 1-0 up on the 32nd minute, heading home a set piece, with the midfiedler's effort bouncing off one of Yanga defenders and outfoxing shot stopper, Djigui Diarra.

Congolese forward, Fiston Mayele, leveled matters for Yanga on the 82nd minute, beating USM Alger's shot stopper, Oussama Benbout, with a well-taken right-footer from close range.

It became the sixth goal for the in-form Mayele, with the goal-getter as a result topping the list of the continental showdown's goal scorers.

Yanga's celebrations were short-lived, considering USM Alger made the most of a swift attack and doubled their advantage via midfielder Islam Merili's goal on the 84th minute.

The outcome has put Yanga in difficult position as far as lifting the second tier of African inter-club comeptitions' title is concerned.

The Jangwani Street side now needs to defeat the Algerian opponents in the rematch scheduled for June 3 at Stade du 5 Juillet in Algiers.

The Jangwani Streets side garnered impressive outcomes in Group Stage of the contienntal showdown, finishing top and booking a place in the quarterfinals.

Yanga got off on a wrong foot, conceding 2-0 loss to Union Monastirienne in Tunisia and later reorganized to hammer DR Congo club, TP Mazembe, 3-1 in Dar es Salaam.

Mali's Real Bamako lost 2-0 to Yanga in teh following clash that took place in Dar es Salaam. The Jangwani Street squad went on to wallop Union Monastirienne 2-0 in the city.

Yanga eventually wrapped up the Group Stage in grand fashion, edging TP Mazembe 1-0 in DR Congo.

The quarterfinals witnessed Yanga again notching good results against Nigerian outfit, Rivers United, winning 2-0 in the first leg and notching a 0-0 draw in the rematch to book a place in the semi-finals.

South African club Marumo Gallants was Yanga's opponent in the last four, in which the latter won a 2-0 win in the first leg at home and later won 2-1 away.

Before knockout matches the Jangwani Streets outfit allowed four goals in Group Stage, including losing 2-0 away to US Monastir.

The squad then cruised to 3-1 victory against DR Congo giant TP Mazembe and settled for 1-1 draw with Mali's Real Bamako, while the most goals allowed were from free kicks.

Lineups

Yanga:

Djigui Diarra, Ibrahim Hamad, Bakari Nondo, Yannick Bangala, Dickson Job, Kibwana Shomari, Mudathir Yahya, Fiston Mayele, Stephane Ki, Kennedy Musonda, Tuisila Kisinda

Substitutions:

Metacha Mnata, Lomalisa Mutambala, Djuma Shabani, Salum Abubakar, Zawadi Mauya, Clement Mzize, Ducapel Moloko, Farid Mussa, Bernard Morrison

USM Alger:

Oussama Benbout, Zineedine Belaid, Haithem Loucif, Brahim Benzaza, Saadi Radouani, Adam Alilet, Oussama Chita, Islam Merili, Aymen Mahious, Khaled Bousseliou, Tumisang Orebonye

Substitutions:

Imad Benchlef, Abdelkader Belharrane, Ibrahim Bekakchi,    Messala Merbah, Taher Benkhelifa, Akram Djahnit,Abdelfetah Belkacemi, Meziane Bentahar, Zakaria Al Harish

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