CAFCL: Yanga Boys question match officials over early exit

Felele247.com have scooped that  Tanzanian giants Tanzanian club Young Africans have questioned the officiating and alleged underhand tactics of opponents Rivers United which contributed to their early exit from the CAF Champions League.

Yanga exited the 2021-22 edition of the continental tournament this past weekend, falling at the first hurdle after losing 2-0 on aggregate to their Nigerian opponents in the first qualifying round.

Rivers won 1-0 both in Dar es Salaam and Port Harcourt this past Sunday to secure a spot in the next round, but Yanga, via official Hassan Bumbuli, have claimed that they were victims of poor officiating.

“We could have killed the game very early, but the officiating was biased against us, especially in the first half where we had like three clear penalties that were denied,” Bumbuli is quoted by IPP Media.

“That is water under the bridge. We have gained valuable experience.”

Bumbuli also slammed Rivers for allegedly providing false positives in the mandatory pre-match Covid-19 tests, thereby ruling out key players – a tactic which seems to have become all too common in African football in the past year, with Yanga themselves accused of the same for the first leg a week earlier.

“We have learned vital lessons in such games, especially concerning Covid-19,” Bumbuli added.

“Our counterparts came with a malice agenda. They could not prove the Covid-19 results.”

Rivers will go on to face Al Hilal in the second qualifying round, with their two legged tie set to be played on 15-16 and 22-23 October.