Mayele shines as Yanga reach CAF Confederation Cup final against USM

Johannesburg, South Africa

Fiston Mayele starred as Young Africans became the first Tanzanian club to reach a CAF Confederation Cup final after winning 2-1 at South African side Marumo Gallants on Wednesday.

The Dar es Salaam team, popularly known as Yanga, qualified 4-1 on aggregate having built a 2-0 semi-final first-leg lead in east Africa seven days ago.

Young Africans will host the first leg of the final against USM Alger of Algeria on May 28 with the return match on June 3.

USM defeated ASEC Mimosas of the Ivory Coast 2-0 in Algiers to qualify by the same scoreline after a goalless first leg.  

History will be created no matter who triumphs and pockets $1,250 million (1,150 mn euros) as no Algerian side has won the African equivalent of the Uefa Europa League.

Mayele scored the first goal and created the second for Zambian Kennedy Musonda in northwestern mining town Rustenburg as Young Africans ended a run of six CAF home wins by Marumo this season.

The star from the Democratic Republic of Congo burst clear to score in the 45th minute with a shot that went into the net off the hands of veteran Zimbabwean goalkeeper Washington Arubi.

Mayele displayed stunning speed to outpace Tshepo Gumede and cross for Musonda to bag the second goal after 62 minutes.

Marumo, who wasted several first-half chances to take the lead on the night, finally scored one minute into added time through a Ranga Chivaviro header.

Dressing room drama

The goal took Chivaviro to the top of the Confederation Cup Golden Boot table with seven goals, one more than Mayele and Fakhreddine Ben Youssef from Egyptian club Pyramids.

Reaching the final meant more celebrations for Yanga, who retained the Tanzanian league title last weekend by taking an unassailable seven points lead over fierce rivals Simba.

Young Africans caused a pre-match stir in South Africa by refusing to change in the dressing room, saying there was an unpleasant smell there. They used a corridor instead.

Several clubs, including TP Mazembe of DR Congo and Kaizer Chiefs of South Africa, have made similar complaints in past CAF competitions when playing in Tanzania.

Marumo now turn their attention to survival in the domestic league -- they must at least draw away to Swallows on Saturday to avoid automatic relegation.  

In Algiers, Khaled Bousseliou scored his fourth goal of the African campaign to give USM a 28th-minute lead and substitute Ismail Belkacemi doubled the advantage on 80 minutes.

Bousseliou raced on to a throw-in, cut inside a defender and beat goalkeeper Ayayi Folly with a shot into the corner of the net.

ASEC fared better in the second half, following the introduction of teenager Sankara Karamoko, but never troubled goalkeeper Oussama Benbot on a cold, windy night.  

Belkacemi netted his first goal of the Confederation Cup campaign with his first touch, delicately lobbing the ball over the onrushing Folly to seal a showdown with Young Africans.