MOB are 'Wildcats' Yanga
14 June 2016
AS Tanzanian envoys began intensive drill in Turkey ahead of their away CAF Confederations Cup tie against Mouloudia Olympic Bejaia (MOB), the clash fever is already high in Algeria.
It was reported this week in Bejaia club’s website that MOB as popularly known in Algeria are desparately in a hunt for replacements to fill gaps left by key players facing suspension.
The team’ s website announced on Monday that the central defender Zidane Mebarakou and the Senegalese centre forward, Mouhamed Ndoye will miss the team’s first leg home match against Tanzanian envoys after being slapped two yellow cards in their last 16 matches.
The club worries the absence of the players, both very crucial for the club might hamper the team’s performance on Friday. In their attempt to reinforce their defence line, MOB who are making a debut to the continental level competition announced Lyes Benhaha, a new goalkeeper’s coach effective from this week. The team’s website said the coach is tasked to train the team’s current keepers namely Chamseddine Rahmani, Amara Daif and Yacine Sidi Salah.
Founded in 1954, Mouloudia Olympique de Béjaïa are regarded the tournament’s wildcats. They joined Algeria Professional league in 2015 and won their maiden CAF Confederations Cup ticket this year.
In Algerian Professional League winners and the runners up qualify for the CAF Champions League while the third finisher and the Algeria FA Cup winners qualify to play in CAF Confederations Cup.
Young Africans opponents won the CAF ticket after beating RC Arbaa 1-0 in Algerian Cup final, the club’s first national title. Meanwhile Tanzanian envoys set foot in Turkey on Sunday for a training camp ahead of their first Caf Confederation Cup group stage tie against MOB on June 19 in Algeria.
The recently crowned Vodacom League and Federation Cup champions have now turned their focus to the continental assignment in a bid to write history by making it to the final, a target they deem achievable.
However, drawn in Group A along with the reigning CAF Champions League winners TP Mazembe who were bundled out of the premier club competition by Wydad Casablanca and Medeama of Ghana, Yanga face a tough task ahead.
“We are aware of the challenge ahead. Against Bejaia, we shall be facing a top African side and we want to give ourselves a chance to register a positive result,” explained midfielder Haruna Niyonzima.
“As always we shall work together as a team and maintain focus. If we can get at least a point in Algeria if we fail to get three then that will motivate us to prepare for the game against TP Mazembe.”
Yanga head coach Hans van Pluijm is not taking anything for granted and will be hoping that his players maximize their stay in Turkey to get away from all the destructions in the Tanzanian capital by fully focusing on the daunting assignment.
The Dutch tactician has included the newly signed quartet of Andrew Vincent (Mtibwa), Juma Mahadhi (Coastal Union), Benno Kakolanya (Prisons) and Hassan Kessy (Simba) as part of the travelling squad as they look to get familiar to the proceedings at the yellow and green machine.
A good start in the group stage will be key to Yanga’s ambitions of making it to the final four and indeed after their game against Bejaia, Pluijm’s side will return to Turkey to continue their training camp in preparation for yet another stern test in TP Mazembe in Dar es Salaam on June 28.
These two matches will go a long way in determining the fate of East Africa’s only representatives in the continental competition at this stage. Yanga saw off Cercle de Joachim of Mauritius 3-1 on aggregate in the Caf Champions League preliminary round to set up a date with Rwandan champions APR.
Pluijm’s side won 3-2 on aggregate against the army side in the first round to set up a date with eight time Caf Champions League winners Al Ahly of Egypt in the second round.
Both sides settled for a 1-all draw in the first leg in Dar es Salaam before Yanga conceded a stoppage time goal in the 95th minute in Cairo to exit the competition 3-2 on aggregate dropping to the Caf Confederation Cup play-off round where they defeated Angola’s Sagrada Esperanca 2-1 on aggregate to qualify for the group stage.
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