Africa-Press – Uganda. Ugandan clubs might have fallen on hard times in the last two or so decades, but the country still manages to sprinkle a success story of their footballers here and there – once in a while.
Retired Cranes goalkeeper and 10-time South African champion, Denis Onyango, remains the most decorated Ugandan on the continent having lifted the Caf Champions League in 2016 and made at least the quarterfinals since 2017. He also won the Confederation Cup in 2017.
He and Mamelodi Sundowns are also now in the semifinals of the Caf Champions League, where they face Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca in the second leg tomorrow. The first leg in Morocco ended goalless.
So chances of two Ugandans appearing in the Champions League and Caf Confederation Cup are quite high after Cranes midfielder Khalid Aucho and his Tanzanian club, Yanga, confirmed their place in the latter competition’s final.
This follows Yanga’s elimination of South Africa’s Marumo Gallants
4-1 on aggregate after winning both games, including the 2-1 victory at the Royal Bafokeng stadium on Wednesday night. Aucho played in both matches.
DR Congo striker Fiston Mayele scored and assisted Kelvin Musonda to secure the win for Yanga.
Proud representatives
This meant that Yanga became only the second Tanzanian club and third from East Africa to make the final of a continental showpiece.
Yanga archrivals Simba and Uganda’s SC Villa made the finals of the then Caf Cup in 1993 and 1992 respectively. SC Villa were also 1991 Champions League finalists.
Yanga’s progress set up a finals date with Algeria’s USM Alger, with the first leg in Dar on May 28 and the return on June 3.
Aucho will miss the first leg after being booked but that did not dampen his spirits as he delights in the fairytale run he and Yanga are enjoying.
“I’m happy and glad to be in the finals of the Confederation Cup. It’s not easy but we managed to get there,” he told Daily Monitor moments after beating South Africa’s Marumo Gallants.
Aucho is not even thinking about missing the first leg. His focus is firmly on winning the cup.
“We have been thinking about winning it and we have worked a lot for it. It’s our ambition now to go on and take the cup.”
His Tunisian coach agrees. “I am very happy to take this team to the Caf Confederation Cup final,” said Yanga head coach Nasreddine Nabbi.
“We are the first Tanzanian team to do so and it is a huge achievement for us. Now, we will try to win this Cup,”
This campaign is also Aucho’s first time to reach the quarterfinals of a Caf club match, and now the final. “It’s an achievement for me and I’m so proud of that,” said the Cranes midfielder.
“It has been down to teamwork and discipline and our own personal ambitions. We have supported each other and whoever plays we all support them.” The Yanga dream continues.
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