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Football: TOTAL Confederation of African Football (Caf) Champions league - St Louis confident of win, harbour hope of reaching next round |22 February 2018

League champions St Louis are confident of a win against Young Africans of Tanzania in today’s second leg match of the TOTAL Confederation of African Football (Caf) Champions league to harbour the hope of making it to the last 16 stage.

After going down 0-1 away against 27-time Tanzanian champions Young Africans, or ‘Yanga’ as they are better known, in front of their home fans inside the National Stadium on Saturday February 3, St Louis feel they can reverse the score.

The Seychelles champions host the Young Africans needing to win and score at least two goals to keep their hopes alive and coach Michel Renaud is confident his team can achieve the feat.

“We will take an attacking approach in this afternoon’s match as we want to get a win by a two-goal margin to progress to the next round of the competition,” coach Renaud told Sports NATION.

He added that since they came back from Tanzania, they have been hard at work preparing for the match.

Coach Renaud also added that his team need to escape defeat at all cost in front of their fans in order to get the much-needed win to set up a second round with either Green Buffalos of Botswana or El Merreikh of Sudan.  

“Although we need a two-goal margin win, we must be cautious in our play. We have to be able to smoothly transition from defence to attack and attack to defence as we do not want to concede goals which will make our task even tougher,” coach Renaud explained to Sports NATION.

St Louis have played Young Africans before in the old African Champions Cup in 1992 and lost on an aggregate score of 2-7 (1-4 away and 1-3 at Stad Popiler).

In the first leg fixture, it was substitute Juma Mahadhi who netted the only goal for Young Africans on 67 minutes, just two minutes on the pitch after replacing Ibrahim Ajibu, who had earlier missed two sitters in either half.

Young Africans were also awarded a penalty in the 24th minute after defender Hassan Kessy was fouled inside the box but Zambian Obrey Chirwa failed to slot home from his effort.

The Young Africans arrived here on Sunday and coach George Lwandamina has said his squad will be hoping to qualify for the second round following their home first leg win of 1-0.

"This will be a tough tie but due to our preparations I am sure that we will make it to the next round, they need a win and we will have to be at our best in order to get a positive result,” coach Lwamdamina said.

According to reports, midfielder Thaban Kamusoko has also travelled with the squad after his long layoff due to injury. First choice central defenders Vincent Andrew and Kelvin Yondani are also included in the squad but their experienced goalkeeper Youthe Rostand has missed out. 

 

G. G.

 

 

 

 

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