Young Africans teach Marumo Gallants continental lesson with crushing aggregate win

At the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace, Phokeng

Good things always come to an end, but Marumo Gallants certainly didn't expect their dreamy CAF Confederations Cup dream of being snuffed out in such a cold and calculating manner by Young Africans on Wednesday.

But it was as the aggressive and street-smart Tanzanians, buoyed by a large Tanzanian diaspora that gave them a home ground feel in Phokeng, that cruised past Gallants 2-1 to book themselves a place in the two-legged final later this month and early June.

There was a vast difference in the teams as Yanga looked every bit the log leaders of the Tanzanian league while Gallants were left to chase shadows.

It wasn't the exit Gallants envisaged, but they at least can focus on their relegation scrap when they face Swallows FC in Dobsonville on Saturday.

Once Fiston Kalala Mayele bulleted his rebounded shot into the net after Washington Arubi had saved the initial attempt, it was all over bar the shouting for the hosts, who indeed felt like visitors as the large Tanzania crowd dwarfed the small South African contingent that relied on a beating drum to mount some sort of crowd challenge.

Mayele turned provider for Kennedy Musonda in the second half as the well-supported visitors killed off the contest with greater ease than they expected.

Gallants did score through Ranga Chivaviro deep in the encounter, but it was futile as the game, and the tie, by extension, was done and dusted.

Both teams had more than decent opportunities to take the game by the scruff of the neck, but Gallants were not only shot down by their inexperience but their inability to convert their opportunities.

They had three very good ones in the first half that should have levelled out the tie and given them