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The Tanzanian champions put up a spirited fight to claim a 2-0 aggregate win after a barren draw in Dar es Salaam on Sunday
Yanga made history on Sunday night by reaching the CAF Confederation Cup semi-final for the first time following a 2-0 aggregate win against Rivers United of Nigeria in the quarter-final.
The Tanzanian champions came into the match needing a draw to advance following a 2-0 win in Uyo last weekend and got just that after a goalless stalemate at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
The home side started brightly before the match was interrupted after 25 minutes when lights went off at the stadium, forcing a stoppage of over 20 minutes, before the situation was rectified to allow the action to continue.
Yanga took command of proceedings with their two forwards Clement Franses Mzize and Fiston Mayele causing the Rivers United defence plenty of problems although they were unable to break the deadlock.
The story was the same in the second stanza when Mayele, who scored both goals in Nigeria, missed a host of chances to give Yanga the lead.
Mayele had a glorious opportunity in the 58th minute when he received a good pass on the edge of the box but fired over the bar when he had only the goalkeeper to beat before he missed another chance two minutes later.
His combination with Ducapel Moloko, who came on for Mzize after the break, added impetus to the home team’s attack but poor finishing cost them as he missed a chance to add onto his five goals in the competition so far.
As the game wore on, Yanga slowed the tempo and opted to hog possession in an effort to run the clock down and claim their maiden semi-final place.
The result means Yanga join bitter rivals Simba as the only Tanzanian sides to have made it to the last four of a CAF tournament, Wekundu wa Msimbazi doing it last in 1974.
Yanga will also claim the $450,000 (Ksh59.5 million) prize for reaching the semi-final, having pocketed $350,000 (Ksh46 million) after making it to the last eight although they will miss out on the Tsh5 million (Ksh289,000) from Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan who has been rewarding them for every goal scored in the continental competition.
The Tanzanian side will now face Marumo Gallants of South Africa in the semi-final in May, both teams reaching the last four for the first time in their history, and Yanga will have home advantage in the first leg.
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