Former Mamelodi Sundowns and Golden Arrows head coach Manqoba Mngqithi has reached another major milestone with Young Africans, guiding the Tanzanian club into the group stages of the CAF Champions League.

Mngqithi has enjoyed a strong start to his tenure since taking over at the club known as Yanga. He began his time in Tanzania by winning the Community Shield and has now built on that early success by securing the club's place in the group stage of Africa’s premier football competition.

Young Africans confirmed their qualification with a dominant 4-1 victory over Madagascan outfit CFFA in the second leg of their second preliminary round tie. The comfortable win completed an emphatic 8-1 aggregate victory across both legs, making Yanga the first team to officially advance to the group stage this season.

The home side took control of the match early, opening the scoring through Ibrahim Kazimoto in the 27th minute. Young Africans carried their momentum into the second half, where Selemani Mwalimu scored two goals in quick succession in the 49th and 53rd minutes to put the contest out of reach. Although CFFA pulled a goal back in the 75th minute, teenage player Juma Issa Abushuri sealed the win with an 82nd-minute strike.

Alongside his recent continental success, Mngqithi has drawn attention for comments regarding his past discussions with South African club Kaizer Chiefs. Mngqithi claimed that he previously turned down an offer to coach Amakhosi due to concerns over their proposed transfer budget.

According to Mngqithi, Kaizer Chiefs offered a total budget of R20 million to sign seven new players, an amount he viewed as inadequate to build a squad capable of challenging for top honors. Drawing on his experience at Mamelodi Sundowns, Mngqithi noted that R20 million was often required to secure a single elite player in the domestic league. The specifics of these contract talks have not been independently verified by the club.

As Kaizer Chiefs continue their internal rebuilding efforts, Mngqithi remains focused on his journey abroad. His qualification with Young Africans adds further depth to his continental resume, setting up the challenge of competing against Africa’s elite clubs in the upcoming group matches.

source:

https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/caf-champions-league/mngqithi-into-cafcl-group-stages/