Tanzanian champions Young Africans popularly known as Yanga have advanced to the group stage of the CAF Champions League (CAF CL) with a 3-0 aggregate victory over Al Merrikh of Sudan.

The Tanzanian representatives secured a 1-0 victory in the return leg match held at Azam Complex in Dar es Salaam on Saturday, September 30, 2023, to achieve the feat for the first time in 25 years.

In a pivotal moment, substitute Clement Mzize scored a towering header in the 66th minute, solidifying the home team’s position in the last 16.

Mzize’s goal marked his second consecutive success against the formidable Sudanese giants, as he had previously scored in a 2-0 victory at Kigali Pele Stadium in Rwanda when Yanga emerged triumphant.

This achievement holds significant historical significance for the Jangwani-based team, as they had not reached the group stage of the CAF CL in 25 years.

It is a moment of elation for millions of Yanga fans across the continent, whose dreams of seeing their team progress to the next phase of the competition have now come to fruition.

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Yanga’s rivals Simba take on Power Dynamos in the second leg of the CAF CL match at Azam Complex, providing another opportunity for Tanzania to have two teams represented in the group stage of the competition.

Simba managed to secure a 2-2 draw away to Zambia in the first leg and can proceed on away goals if they manage to avoid defeat or a high-scoring draw.

Additionally, Singida Big Stars will face Future FC in Egypt in the return leg of the CAF Confederation Cup (CAF CC) match, with the former currently holding a 1-0 advantage.