South African coach Manqoba Mngqithi has led his Tanzanian side Young Africans into the group phase of this season’s African Champions League as they became the first club through to the 16-team group phase, which gets underway in late November.
Yanga completed an 8-1 aggregate triumph over Madagascar’s Centre de Formation de Football Andoharanofotsy when they won the second leg of their second-round tie 4-1 at the KMC Football Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday.
The Malagasy club forfeited home advantage in the first leg, which was also played in the Tanzanian capital last Saturday, and saw Yanga also secure a one-sided 4–0 victory.
Ibrahim Kazimoto opened Wednesday’s scoring three minutes before halftime, and then Tanzanian international Selemani Mwalimu grabbed two and Juma Issa Abushiri made it 4–1 in the last eight minutes.
CFFA’s consolation goal came from Fitahiantsoa Albertin in the 74th minute.
Earlier on Wednesday, Yanga’s domestic rivals Simba won the first leg of their delayed second round tie with an emphatic 6-1 triumph over 15 de Agosto of Equatorial Guinea.
The lack of a suitable stadium at home forced the club from Equatorial Guinea to cede home advantage and the match was played at the Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam, where Ibrahim Doumbia scored twice, while Nathaniel Chilambo, Elie Mpanzu, ex-Mamelodi Sundowns and Sekhukhune midfielder Keletso Makgalwa and former Stellenbosch winger Anicet Oura added to the goal feast.
Simba host the second leg of their tie at the same venue on Sunday but with a five-goal advantage are virtually certain of progress to the group phase, making for double representation from Tanzania for a second successive year.
The two clubs were both in the group phase in 2024 and again last season.