Five time Cecafa Kagame Club champions Yanga face Azam test in quarters

Ibrahim Amin (R) of Khartoum NSC contest for ball with Mbuyu Twite of Yanga FC during their Cecafa Kagame Club cup tournament at the National Stadium, Dar es Salaam on July 26, 2015. Yanga FC won 1-0. Photo/Stafford Ondego/www.pic-centre.com/CECAFA. (TANZANIA)

Five time Cecafa Kagame Club champions Yanga face an acid test this afternoon when they take on unbeaten Azam in an all Tanzanian quarter-final match.

The match, which kicks off at 4pm at the National Stadium is expected to be a thriller as both teams have sworn to outsmart each other.

Azam’s tactician Stewart Hall says he has the boys to finish the job early. But his Yanga counterpart Hans van der Pluijm says he will ‘finish’ Azam in the first half and they should not dream of forcing the game to penalty shootouts.

“I have no reason as to why I should not beat Azam. We are the reigning Tanzanian champions and we must protect our image as champions,” said Pluijm.

“Azam is a good side but this will not stop me from beating them. I have set my eyes to the title,” added the Dutchman.

“I will assemble all my weapons and make sure they work well to help me advance to the semi-finals,” a confident Pluijm, said.

CECAFA: Azam only team yet to concede a goal in tourney

As Cecafa Kagame Club Championship entered into knockout stages yesterday, Azam of Tanzania remains as the only team, which has not conceded a goal since the start of the tournament on July 18. The Tanzanian side, which takes on Yanga this afternoon, has kept their unbeaten record intact and coach Stewart Hall has praised his boys for a job well done. Azam hit Uganda’s KCC 1-0 and went ahead to beat Malakia of South Sudan 2-0 before they wrapped up their preliminary round with a resounding 5-0 clobbering of Ethiopia’s Adama City.

CECAFA: Of own goals and red cards so far in Dar

Since the start of Cecafa tournament 12 days ago, three red cards have been flashed so far. Donald Ngoma of Yanga was the first player to be given his marching orders followed by Moges Tadese and Eshetu Menna both of Adama City. Three players, too, have scored own goals. Gor Mahia's Dirkir Glay, Khamis Ally of KMKM and Telecom's Goalkeeper Jeef Nzokira have scored own goals.