Peter Kanjere
October 25, 2025CAFCL: Yanga overcome Silver Strikers to reach group stage
Photo: Young Africans SC
CAFCL: Yanga overcome Silver Strikers to reach group stage
Tanzanian champions Young Africans (Yanga) progressed to the CAF Champions League (CAFCL) group stage at the expense of Malawian club Silver Strikers on Saturday with a 2-0 second leg victory in Dar es Salaam.
Former Kaizer Chiefs coach Patrick Mabedi clenched and pumped his fists to celebrate as the Tanzania Mainland Premier League champions swept aside the Malawian champions to overcome a 1-0 first leg defeat in Malawi last weekend. Yanga advanced to the paying ranks of the continental league with an aggregate score of 2-1.
Mabedi was thrust to the hot seat following the sacking of his former boss Romain Folz hours after their 1-0 loss to Strikers at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe last weekend.
Going into the second preliminary round second leg match in Dar es Salaam, the Malawians faced probably the toughest test of their Champions League race.
How long did it take for Yanga SC to score against Silver Strikers?
Little wonder, it took barely six minutes into the game for the hosts to put their noses in front when Dickson Job arrived at the near post unmarked to flick a corner kick past goalkeeper George Chikooka.
A few minutes later, Zimbabwean striker Prince Dube threatened to extend the lead midway in the game, but his effort went off target. At that moment, the TNM Super League champions sat deep, their game-plan of playing counter attacking football undermined by a lack of numbers upfront and striker Stain Davie’s poor runs that saw him caught offside.
The only threat the Lilongwe giants posed to the hosts was in the 16th minute when they had an effort ruled out for offsides.
Seven minutes to the break, the hosts finally cushioned their lead. Pacome Zouzoua got to the end of a slick counterattack to slot the ball past Chikooka.
The Tanzanian went to the break leading 2-0 and the scoreline did not change in the second half as there were no further goals. The group stage draw will see the Tanzanian giants learn their group stage opponents on November 3.