CAF CC Final Preview: Young Africans, USM Alger prepare for epic showdown in Dar es Salaam today

Champions of the Tanzanian Premier League, Young Africans are hoping to put the cherry on top of what has been one of their best seasons.

Tanzania’s most successful club, who recently claimed their 29th Tanzanian Premier League title with three games to spare are in their first ever continental final, as they prepare for a stern test against Algeria’s USM Alger in the first leg of the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup finals on Sunday, 28 May.

“Yanga”, as the East Africans are affectionately known by their ever-flamboyant supporters certainly came into the tournament as the less fancied side to reach this stage of the competition.

This season’s edition marks their sixth appearance in the competition, where they have not only for the first time made it past the group stages but have impressively secured a place in the finals.

In USM Alger, they face a highly spirited side who after having a jittery start, have now found their rhythm and will be going all out to secure their first ever CAF Continental title.

This will be the Algerians’ second attempt at lifting a CAF Interclub competition final having finished as runner’s up in the 2015 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League, which went the way of TP Mazembe through a 4-1 aggregate loss.

With the Algerian Professional League almost out of reach for them, “USMA” have it all to play for and will be hoping to take home a decent result ahead of the return leg scheduled for 3 June in Algeria.

Here is a look at how they made it to the finals:

Young Africans Road to the Final

Group Stage:

• Group D Opponents: Monastir, Real Bamako, TP Mazembe
• Finished top of the group with 13 points from four wins, a single draw and a loss respectively.

Quarter-Finals

• Rivers United 0 – 2 Young Africans | First Leg
• Young Africans 0 – 0 Rivers United | Second Leg

Semi-Finals

• Young Africans 2 – 0 Marumo Gallants | First Leg
• Marumo Gallants 1 – 2 Young Africans | Second Leg

USM Alger Road to the Final

Group Stage

• Group A Opponent’s: Marumo Gallants, Saint Eloi Lupopo, Al Akhdar
• Finished second in the group with 11 points from three wins, two draws and a single loss.

Quarter-Finals

• USM Alger 2 – 0 AS Far | First Leg
• AS Far 3 – 2 USM Alger | Second Leg

Semi-Finals

• Asec Mimosas 0 – 0 USM Alger
• USM Alger 2 – 0 Asec Mimosas