The journey towards crowning a new champion of the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup has now narrowed down with the semi-final roster complete, following the end of the exciting quarter-final round of matches played over the weekend.
Tanzanian league champions Young Africans (Yanga) will play a continental semi-final for the first time ever after progressing, and will take on South African debutants Marumo Gallants.
In the second semi-final, Ivorian side Asec Mimosas will take on Algeria’s USM Alger.
Yanga earned their place in the last four after edging out Nigeria’s Rivers United. The first leg 2-0 victory in Uyo proved to be the decisive result, as the two sides played to a 0-0 draw in the second leg in Dar es Salaam.
Meanwhile, Gallants continued their dream run in the competition after edging out 2019-20 finalists Pyramids 1-0. They went through 2-1 on aggregate having played to a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Cairo last weekend. Even then, Pyramids had to score a last-minute penalty to tie the game.
What will be more interesting for this duel between Yanga and Marumo will be the return of coach Dylan Kerr to Tanzania. Kerr had a stint coaching Yanga’s bitter rivals Simba in the 2015-2016 season.
He will now lead Marumo to Dar es Salaam, as an ‘enemy’, once again.
Meanwhile, Ivorian side Asec earned their place in the last four for the first time ever in the new dispensation of the competition.
They progressed after beating Tunisia’s US Monastir 2-0 in Abidjan, having played to a 0-0 draw in the first leg played in North Africa last weekend.
They come up against Algeria’s USM Alger, who progressed 4-3 on aggregate against Morocco’s AS FAR. They lost the second leg 3-2 in Rabat, but the first leg 2-0 result in Algiers last weekend proved to be decisive as it took them through.
The first leg matches of the semi-finals are scheduled for May 10, with the return fixtures a week later.
