Identifying Yanga’s biggest hurdle in CAF Confederation Cup chase

FOOTBALL Identifying Yanga’s biggest hurdle in CAF Confederation Cup chase

Kiplagat Sang • 05:45 - 25.05.2023

After an impressive run, Pulse Sports looks at a major hurdle that Yanga must surmount in order to become champions.

Tanzanian giants Yanga SC have a date with destiny as they are set to face Algeria’s USM Alger in the CAF Confederation Cup final.

The first leg of the two-legged contest is scheduled for Sunday, May 28 in Dar es Salaam before the return leg is held on June 3.

Timu ya Wananchi are in their maiden final in a continental competition that has been dominated by teams from the north; specifically, Morocco and Tunisia.

Can they break the North’s dominance?

When the first Confederation final was held, Ghana’s giants Hearts of Oak emerged winners in 2004, before FAR Rabat of Morocco won the next edition in 2005.

From 2006 to 2008, Tunisian sides dominated, as Etoile du Sahel were champions in 2006 and CS Sfaxien were champions in 2007 before successfully defending their title in 2008.

That dominance was broken when Stade Malien of Mali emerged as winners in the 2009 edition. FUS Rabat and MAS Fez, both of Morocco, were champions in 2010 and 2011, respectively, while DR Congo’s AC Leopards lifted the trophy in 2012.

CS Sfaxien, after four seasons, emerged winners again when they lifted the cup in 2013. CAF Champions League giants Al Ahly of Egypt were the 2014 winners before another Tunisian outfit, Etoile du Sahel, were crowned champions in 2015.

TP Mazembe of the DR Congo won the competition back-to-back in 2016 and 2017 before Raja Casablanca dethroned them in 2018.

The cup went back to Cairo in the 2018-2019 season when Zamalek SC won. RS Berkane of Morocco were the 2019-20 champions, and Raja Casablanca were the 2020-21 winners.

The current holders are another Moroccan side, RS Berkane.

That means since the inaugural campaign in 2004, clubs from the north have won on 14 occasions, leaving the rest to be divided between clubs from other parts of the continent.

Can Yanga break the chain and lift their maiden trophy?