Nairobi — Tanzanian giants Young Africans (Yanga) beat Dylan Kerr’s Marumo Gallants 2-1 in South Africa on Wednesday night to qualify for their first ever CAF Confederation Cup final.
They progressed 4-1 on aggregate having won the first leg 2-0 and will now take on Algeria’s USM Alger in the final in 10 days’ time, the latter having beaten Ivory Coast’s Asec Mimosas 2-0 in the other semi-final.
Gallants is coached by former Gor Mahia head coach Dylan Kerr.
Yanga became the first ever East African country in the modern age of CAF Inter Club tournaments to qualify for the final.
Kenya’s Gor Mahia won the Nelson Mandela Cup in 1987 while Yanga’s arch rivals in Tanzania, Simba, reached the final of the CAF Cup in 1993.
Against Gallants, Yanga, home to former Gor Mahia and Tusker FC midfielder Khalid Aucho needed to avoid defeat to make the final but they did more than that, with their Congolese import Fiston Kalale Mayele doing the damage with a goal and an assist.
Mayele scored Yanga’s opener off a brilliantly executed counter attack in the first half, his first effort saved by the keeper but he followed up the rebound to tap home.
He provided the assist for the second off another solid counter, running down the right flank before squaring for Zambian Kennedy Musonda to brilliantly hit home into the roof of the net.
Gallants scored their consolation through tournament top scorer Ranga Chivaviro, but it wasn’t enough for them as Yanga held on for the win.
The final will be played in two legs, Dar es Salaam hosting the first leg on May 28 before the return fixture in Algeria seven days later.
