Head coach of Young Africans, Pedro Gonçalves has reflected on his side’s defeat to Egyptian giants Al Ahly, offering a candid assessment of what went wrong for his outfit in the high-stake CAF Champions League clash.
The Tanzanian giants succumbed to a 2–0 setback against Al Ahly in their Group B encounter of the African Champions League on Friday, a match decided by the brilliance of Trezeguet, who struck twice to secure all three points for the defending champions.
The result came in the third round of the group stage and proved costly for the Tanzanian side’s ambitions.
Speaking during the post-match press conference, Gonçalves acknowledged the difference between the two teams on the night, particularly in front of goal, saying “Al Ahly were able to win because they took advantage of the opportunities and scored two goals, and we also deserved to score goals, but that didn’t happen.”
Despite the loss, the Portuguese tactician praised his players’ attitude and overall display, insisting that the scoreline did not fully reflect the balance of the match. According to him, Young Africans competed bravely, especially in the opening stages, before a lapse proved decisive.
“I have brave players, and we performed well, especially in the first half, but we conceded a goal at a difficult time, and that’s the nature of football.”
Gonçalves admitted that leaving the venue empty-handed was disappointing, but he stressed that the group remains open and that his team will not lose belief.
“We are returning to Tanzania without any points from this match, but we will continue to work. We can beat Al Ahly in Tanzania, but the task will not be easy, and we must achieve victories in the upcoming matches,” he emphasized.
“Al-Ahly has great and wonderful players, especially Trezeguet who scored two goals, and we will try to learn from our mistakes and improve our level.”
Attention now turns to the reverse fixture, where Young Africans will host Al Ahly on January 31 as part of the fourth round of the group stage—a match that could significantly shape the standings in Group B.
Following the victory, Al Ahly moved to the summit of the group with seven points, establishing a three-point cushion over their closest challengers, while Young Africans will be under pressure to respond positively in the remaining fixtures as they chase qualification to the knockout stage.
