Young Africans have reportedly filed a counter-complaint against Gaborone United (GU) with the Confederation of African Football (CAF). ‘Yanga,’ as the team is known, accuses GU of mistreatment during the first leg of their CAF Champions League tie in Botswana.
The Tanzanian club’s complaint comes after GU submitted a complaint to CAF over what the Botswana champions described as poor treatment during the second leg in Tanzania on September 12.
GU lost the match 2-1 at the Azam Complex in Dar es Salaam, with Yanga progressing 3-2 on aggregate after the first leg ended 1-1 in Gaborone. According to reports, Yanga’s counter-complaint includes allegations about events surrounding the first leg in Botswana. The Tanzanian club is also reported to have raised concerns over activities on the pitch before the match, which it considers to have been unsanctioned.
The complaint reportedly relates to incidents that attracted attention before and during the September 5 match at the National Stadium in Gaborone. Yanga had earlier spoken about concerns over the pitch and preparations for the game.
Yanga coach Manqoba Mngqithi said after the first leg that weather and pitch conditions affected his team’s preparations. Heavy rain and thunderstorms had also disrupted the Tanzanian side’s plans to hold its final training session at the match venue before the game.
There were also reports and social media footage of GU players gathering on the pitch before kick-off and sprinkling powder on the playing surface. The latest development has now turned the CAF Champions League tie into a who-did-what contest, with a possible disciplinary hearing looming to decide claims by both sides.
GU’s complaint followed the second leg in Tanzania, where the Botswana club alleged that members of its delegation were harassed and denied access to parts of the stadium.
GU head of operations Herbert Letsebe told Mmegi Sport that the club had raised concerns about the treatment of its delegation. The allegations included claims that security personnel denied access to dressing rooms to members of the kit, security and medical teams and that the club was prevented from carrying out a routine pitch inspection.
GU also alleged that members of its delegation were assaulted before the match. The club said the incidents included an alleged attack on its coach and other members of the travelling party. These remain allegations contained in GU’s complaint.
The two clubs had a competitive tie on the field. GU took the lead in the first leg through Ambrosius Amseb before Yanga equalised late to secure a 1-1 draw. In the return match, Peter Shalulile gave Yanga an early lead before the Tanzanian side eventually won 2-1.
GU’s elimination ended its CAF Champions League campaign, while Yanga moved into the second preliminary round. As of late September, there is no publicly released final CAF disciplinary ruling on the reported complaints from either club. The allegations by both sides should therefore be treated as claims until CAF completes its process and issues an official decision.
The latest counter-complaint adds another chapter to a tie that has continued beyond the final whistle, with both clubs now seeking CAF’s consideration of events surrounding their two matches.
