Africa: USMA Star Merili Strikes Late to Down Young Africans in Dar

28 May 2023
Confederation of African Football (Giza)

Islam Merili scored an 84th minute winner as USM Alger took a big step towards their first ever continental trophy by edging past Tanzania's Young Africans (Yanga) 2-1 in Dar es Salaam on Sunday in the first leg of the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup final.

It was a dramatic end to a tightly contested affair, with Yanga having thought they had drawn level in the 82nd minute through Fiston Mayele's brilliant goal. But, the Algerians scored the winner just two minutes later. Aimen Mahious had scored the opener in the 32nd minute.

This is Yanga's first defeat at home in the tournament this season.

Alger broke the deadlock in the first half when Mahious rose to bounce a header home at the backpost after being picked out by a Brahim Benzaza delivery from a freekick on the left.

Yanga, powered by a fully packed Benjamin Mkapa Stadium had started well with Tuisila Kisinda having a shot fly straight to the keeper while Mudathir Yahya had another effort from distance go over.

In the 23rd minute, Mayele had a good chance when he sneaked behind a defender on the left, but from a tight angle, he could only hit across the face of goal.

After conceding in the 32nd minute, Yanga rallied to try and draw level, and they came close at the stroke of halftime when Kisinda picked the ball on the right and rifled at goal, but his effort was just wide.

In the second half, the Tanzanians were faster off the blocks and they piled the pressure, seeking to get back on level terms. They had a chance in the 69th minute when Yahya picked the ball inside the box, but his shot was turned behind for a corner by the keeper.

Yanga kept their pressure and they were rewarded in the 82nd minute when Mayele scored a brilliant goal, setting himself up with the first touch off a Yahya pass before rifling into the bottom right corner with his second.

While they thought they had battled to draw level and would go for a possible winner, the Tanzanians were punctured just two minutes later when Merili side-footed the ball home after some good work from Khaled Bousseliou to set him up inside the box.

The home fans were stunned into silence, the ecstasy just minutes later drowning in deafening silence. Yanga tried to rally once again to draw level, but even with 10 minutes of added time, they couldn't salvage even a draw.

Read the original article on CAF.

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