After losing to Yanga in the first leg of the CAF Champions League preliminary round, Wiliete Benguela coach Bruno Ferry has admitted the superior quality of his opponents, singling out Mohamed Doumbia as the player who surprised him most.
Bruno, a Frenchman who once served as assistant coach at Azam FC, is now the head coach of Wiliete, who recently suffered a 3-0 home defeat to Yanga in Angola.
He admitted that Yanga’s overall strength was difficult to counter, with their players dominating in all areas of the pitch:
“As a coach, I must admit that the quality of Yanga’s players decided the match. They were better in every department and managed to control the outcome. We tried hard both in defense and attack, but they were too strong for us,” said Bruno.
He added that Wiliete still have a long way to go in gaining continental experience compared to a seasoned side like Yanga:
“My team still has a steep mountain to climb because we are seeking experience in African competitions, whereas our opponents have players with years of experience,” he explained.
While impressed by Yanga’s squad as a whole, Bruno noted one player who particularly shocked him. Initially, he thought the absence of Stephane Aziz Ki (who was recently sold) would make things easier — but Doumbia’s presence changed that view.
“I knew Aziz Ki wasn’t going to play, so I thought the job would be a little easier. But then seeing Doumbia was a big surprise for me — he is a player of very high quality,” he said.
He also highlighted the performance of Aziz Andabwile:
“Andabwile is a very disciplined midfielder who takes pressure off the defense. In short, we faced a very tough test. But we haven’t lost hope — we’ll prepare well for the return leg now that we’ve seen Yanga up close.”
Yanga’s victory came courtesy of goals from three stars: Andabwile in the 32nd minute, Edmund John in the 72nd, and Prince Dube in the 81st minute.
