Young Africans, also known as Yanga, has filed a counter-complaint against Gaborone United (GU) with the Confederation of African Football (CAF). This development comes after GU submitted a complaint to CAF over alleged poor treatment during the second leg of their CAF Champions League tie in Tanzania on September 12. The Tanzanian club's complaint includes allegations about events surrounding the first leg in Botswana, which took place on September 5 at the National Stadium in Gaborone.
The first leg of the tie ended 1-1, with Ambrosius Amseb scoring for GU and Yanga equalizing late in the match. In the return leg, Yanga won 2-1 at the Azam Complex in Dar es Salaam, progressing 3-2 on aggregate. However, GU's loss in the second leg resulted in their elimination from the CAF Champions League, while Yanga moved into the second preliminary round. The two clubs had a competitive tie on the field, but the latest counter-complaint has turned the tie into a who-did-what contest.
According to reports, Yanga's counter-complaint includes allegations about activities on the pitch before the match, which the club considers to have been unsanctioned. The complaint 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, with coach Manqoba Mngqithi citing weather and pitch conditions as factors that affected his team's preparations.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms disrupted Yanga'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. These incidents have been included in Yanga's counter-complaint to CAF. The Tanzanian club is seeking CAF's consideration of events surrounding the two matches.
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.
GU also alleged that members of its delegation were assaulted before the match, including an alleged attack on its coach and other members of the travelling party. These allegations remain part of GU's complaint to CAF. 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 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. A possible disciplinary hearing may be held to decide claims by both sides. The two clubs have a history of competition, and this latest development has added to the tension between them.
Key points
- Young Africans file counter-complaint against Gaborone United with CAF
- Allegations include claims of mistreatment and unsanctioned activities on the pitch
- Possible disciplinary hearing looming to decide claims by both sides
