Young Africans held continental giants Mamelodi Sundowns to a scoreless draw in a tightly contested Caf Champions League quarter-final first leg encounter at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Saturday night. The Tanzanian side displayed remarkable resilience throughout the match, effectively frustrating Sundowns’ attacking efforts and securing a valuable clean sheet on home soil.
From the opening whistle, Young Africans, nicknamed “Yanga,” signaled their intent. Midfielder Yacouba Songne tested Sundowns goalkeeper Denis Onyango with a powerful shot from distance within the first minute, setting the tone for a dominant first half for the home team. Yanga pressed high up the pitch, disrupting Sundowns’ typically fluid passing game and denying them space and time on the ball.
Sundowns, known as “The Brazilians,” entered the match as favorites following their recent triumph in the African Football League. However, their possession-based style of play was largely neutralized by Yanga’s aggressive midfield. The first half unfolded with few clear-cut chances, with both sides cancelling each other out in the midfield battle.
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The second half saw a shift in momentum as Sundowns began to show more attacking intent. The introduction of fresh legs in the midfield provided more control, yet clear opportunities remained at a premium. Young Africans continued to pose a threat on the counter-attack, utilizing the pace of their forwards to exploit openings in the Sundowns defense. Notably, substitute Ivorian forward Joseph Gnadou nearly snatched a late winner for Yanga, but his effort went just wide.
Ultimately, the match ended in a frustrating 0-0 draw for both sides. The result leaves the tie wide open heading into the second leg at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria on April 5th. Yanga will be buoyed by their performance at home and their clean sheet, while Sundowns will need to improve their attacking efficiency if they are to overturn the result and progress to the semi-finals.
