YOUNG Africans SC goes head-to-head with Mamelodi Sundowns in a CAF Champions League quarterfinal first-leg match in the evening.

The game is scheduled to be played at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, with kick-off slated for 9  pm.

This will be the third meeting between Young Africans SC, popularly known as Yanga, and Mamelodi Sundowns. The two sides met in the 2001 CAF Champions League preliminary round.

Sundowns won the first leg 3-2 in South Africa before drawing 3-3 in the return leg played at CCM Kirumba Stadium in Mwanza to go through on a 6-5 aggregate victory. 

The Mainland Tanzania champions, on the one hand, squeezed into the quarterfinals on a head-to-head record.

They finished level with Algeria’s CR Belouizdad on eight points, four adrift of Group D winners Al Ahly, but in results between the teams, the Algerians’ 3-0 home win was eclipsed by Yanga’s 4-0 triumph in Dar on the penultimate match of the group stage.

Against Sundowns, they will be banking on their good home form. In the three matches they played in the CAF Champions League Group stage this season, Yanga won two and drew one against Al Ahly.

Ali Kamwe, the outfit's Media and Communication Manager, clarified they have no suspension worries and has urged supporters to rally behind the team as they look to make home advantage count 

Head coach Miguel Gamondi about the difficult timing of the game coming just after the international break which has disrupted his preparation.

“These types of games coming after the FIFA break are a little bit difficult. It complicates preparations because when you have seven or eight players in national teams it is difficult to prepare tactically and player’s focus. I think it is a similar case for Sundowns,” the Argentine noted.

Sundowns, on the other hand, eased into the quarter-finals after winning CAF Champions League Group B and they are determined to win the prestigious tournament for the second time this year.

The South African champions head into the clash in great form, having racked up seven wins in their last 10 games across all competitions – including a triumph over TP Mazembe earlier this month.

Overall, Rulani Mokwena's side are unbeaten in their last 15 games in all competitions. They are also on a decent run of form on the road.

This season in the group stages, they have only lost one away game, but they did beat Pyramids and Nouadhibou.

At this stage last season, they thrashed CR Belouizdad 4-1 in the first leg away in Algiers, before winning 2-1 at home.

They then held Wydad Casablanca to a goalless draw on the road before settling for a 2-2 draw at home to be eliminated on away goals rule at the semi-finals.