Yanga dropped two points in Dodoma after being held to a 1-1 draw by Mtibwa Sugar.
The “Wananchi” needed all three points today to make a strong start to the second round and came close to securing them, if not for a late equalizer scored by Mtibwa Sugar in stoppage time.
The match was also filled with several controversial moments, including an incident where goalkeeper Djigui Diarra appeared to have been fouled while attempting to deal with the corner that denied Yanga victory.
In the first half, there was also a questionable decision where a pass from Mudathir Yahya to Pacome Zouzoua was ruled offside, despite him appearing to be onside.
It is clear that the match officials could face punishment over these incidents, although the result itself cannot be changed.
The league will now pause for approximately two weeks to accommodate the FIFA calendar, and Yanga are expected to return stronger after the break.
Some injured players, including strikers Prince Dube and Depu, could return to the squad after the break.
A key path for Yanga to secure victories, especially in this second round, will be to make better use of their chances and score more goals.
Today, Yanga had opportunities to score more than one goal, but lacked composure in the final third.