Rivers United Vs Young Africans: Match Preview
SPORTSRATION previews the CAF Confederation Cup quater-final 1st-leg encounter between Rivers United FC of Nigeria and Young Africans SC of Tanzania.
MATCH DETAILS
Competition: 2023 Total Energies CAF Confederation Cup
Round: Quater-final (First leg)
Game: Rivers United FC (Nigeria) Vs Young Africans SC (Tanzania)
Venue: Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo
Date: Sunday April 23, 2023
Kick-off Time: 2pm
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Rivers United FC and Young Africans SC have met on two occasions. That was in the CAF Champions League First qualification round in 2021.
Both games have ended in victories for Rivers United FC. In the first, the Pride of Rivers secured a 0-1 away win over the Tanzanians on September 12, 2021 before finishing off with a 1-0 win in Nigeria, Seven days later .
JOURNEY TO THE LAST-8
To reach the quater-final, Rivers United FC finished second in the group stage with 10-points behind group winners ASEC Mimosas of Ivory Coast (13). The other Group B teams were Diabes Noirs and Motema Pembe
Young Africans SC finished top of group D with 13 points. Yanga SC as they are also known held off competition from Tunisian club Monastir who finished in 2nd-place level on points but short in goal difference, AS Bamako and TP Mazembe to reach the last-8.
CURRENT FORM
Rivers United FC – WLDLD
Young Africans – LWWWW
TEAM NEWS
Rivers United: Head Coach Stanley Eguma will be without the services of combative midfielder Morice Chukwu who is suspended for the first-leg clash following accumulation of yellow cards.
Liberians Albert Korvah and Mark Theo Gibson are cup-tied and so ineligible for this game while CAF Confederation Cup top-scorer Paul Acquah has only recently returned to training and should be ready to face Young Africans.
Young Africans: Tunisian manager Nasreddine Nabi will be happy to welcome back striker Fiston Mayele, who has returned to training after suffering a minor injury in their 2-0 derby loss to Simba.
PRE-MATCH COMMENTS
Coach Stanley Eguma of Rivers United FC
“ We are not relying on past performances because no two games are the same and we know Yanga have improved a lot since the last time we met. They are doing better in their domestic league and they also topped their group in this competition,”
“We are coming with renewed vigour and we are trying to push ourselves to do more than what we did the last time and brush them off our way. We are coming with a mentality that is needed to face a strong team in the competition.”
Coach Nasreddine Nabi of Young Africans SC
“We expect to have a different game,” the tactician told a press conference in Uyo on Saturday.
“We are here to find a good result, and we will give it our best shot.”
MATCH OFFICIALS
South African Referee Tom Abongile will take charge of the game. The 31-year old will be assisted by Ivanildo Meirelles de Oliveira Sanches (Assistant 1) from Angola and Abelmiro Dos Reis Monte Negro (Assistant 2) from Sao Tome.
Others are Djindo Louis Houngnandande of Benin Republic who will be the fourth official, while Hamza El Fariq and his compatriot from Morocco, Adil Zourak, will be the Video Assistant Referees, VAR.
ABOUT THE 2ND-LEG
The 2nd-leg will take place on Sunday April 30, 2023 at the Benjamin Nkapa Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The aggregate winner over both legs will progress to the semi-final where South Africa`s Marumo Gallants or Pyramids of Egypt will be the next hurdle.
