In 1998, the Tanzanian champions, Yanga were the first East African team to qualify for the group stage of the CAF Champions League after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) changed the format of the competition
At that time the group stage was involving only eight teams which were divided into two groups. However, CAF changed the structure again in 2016, where since then 16 teams play in the group stage instead of eight, which in the current structure is the quarter-finals
Next Saturday, September 30, Yanga has another chance to play the group stage of the champions league in a new format
Leading 2-0 in the first leg, Yanga needs a win or any draw against Al Merrikh to advance to the group stages
It's been almost 25 years since Yanga played in the Champions League groups, this is the reason why Saturday's game has a special importance
The citizens have no debt in the Federation Cup because it was only last season, Yanga managed to reach the final stage and missed the championship in principle
Since 1998, Yanga played twice in the group stage of the Federation but never went beyond the group stage before last season when they made Tanzania happy by playing in the final
The President of Yanga, Engineer Hersi Said, has said that he is aware of the passion of Yanga fans to see them do well in the Champions League, as was the case in the Federation last season
But he has emphasized that their goals are to reach the groups to end the 25-year 'drought' and if they succeed they will have other goals
"Last season was historic for us in the Federation Cup, this is another season, for a long time we have not participated in the group stage of the Champions League, we want to go to the groups"
"I ask the members and fans of Yanga to be together, let's make sure we show up in large numbers at Azam Complex on Saturday to make sure we advance to the group stage," said Hersi
