Tanzania’s Yanga keep Confederation Cup quarters hopes alive

• Yanga beat Mali’s Real de Bamako 2-0
• They moved to second in the group
• US Monastir have progressed to the quarters from the group

Tanzanian giants Yanga’s hopes of progressing to the quarter finals of the CAF Confederation Cup were enhanced after they beat Mali’s Real de Bamako 2-0 in Dar es Salaam.

The victory saw them move to second in Group D with seven points, four ahead of third placed TP Mazembe who lost away to US Monastir to diminish their hopes.

In Dar es Salaam, Fiston Mayele and Jesus Moloko scored in either half and Yanga should have had three but missed a penalty. Yanga will only need to avoid defeat at the hands of TP Mazembe in Lubumbashi, and even a draw will suffice, to book a place in the last eight.

Playing infront of their home fans in the Tanzanian capital, Yanga needed just eight minutes to get into the lead when Mayele netted his ninth goal of the competition with a low finish after storming into the box.

Before the goal, they had some chances with Yannick Bangala and Aziz Ki having shots from range saved by the keeper.

They took the 1-0 lead to halftime, a satisfactory result after they had done well to manage the game.

Yanga had a chance to double their lead just 10 minutes after the restart from the penalty spot when Mayele was hacked down in the box, but Bangala sent his penalty high over the bar.

Bangala’s blushes wiped 

His blushes were however wiped in the 67^th minute when substitute Moloko stormed through on goal after pick-pocketing Emile Kone of the ball in a dangerous area. He broke into the box and shot low past the keeper to cement the victory.

Bamako gave in a push in the final 20 minutes to try and grab a goal back, but Yanga defended with their hearts to earn their second win in the group.

Meanwhile, Tunisia’s US Monastir became the first team to progress to the quarter finals of the CAF Confederation Cup after their victory over Mazembe. The win saw them move to 10 points, seven ahead of third placed Mazembe. With two rounds of matches left, the worst they can place is second, still within quarter final qualification ranks.

The Tunisians have won three games and drawn one and have 10 points, creating an unassailable lead to third placed Mazembe whose chances of progressing are now slim.

Mazembe’s hopes complicated 

Mazembe are on three points from their opening day victory over Real de Bamako, and the third loss in a row now complicates their hopes of making the last eight.

Monastir completed a double over the Congolese giants, having beaten them 2-0 in the first leg.

Malian Boubacar Traore scored the lone goal of the match after just three minutes, a lead that they jealously guarded till the final whistle.

Mazembe will travel to face Bamako in the next match, a game they have to win to keep their hopes alive while Monastr will be away to second placed Young Africans in Dar es Salaam in a bid to guard their place on top of the log.