Thanks to a brace from Fiston Mayele, the Young Africans of Tanzania caused a sensation by beating Nigeria’s Rivers United 2-0 in the quarter-final first leg of the Confederation Cup. The Congolese striker has scored 5 goals in this competition this season. Also decisive in the Tanzanian championship, he is the spearhead of the formation of Dar es Salaam, very close to climbing for the first time in its history in the last four of an African competition.
With our correspondent in the DRC, Pascal Mwangala
Mayele, which means ” wisdom in Swahili, and Fiston, as if to designate the son of wisdom. The 28-year-old star striker for Young Africans in Tanzania was born to shine away from his homelands.
” Away football is about statistics. Here in Tanzania, in a season and a half, I’ve scored fifty goals in all competitions. So I can say that I have found a championship which is serious, a team which is serious, with fantastic, incredible supporters. It really motivated me. »
“ He is a worker, a technician »
Big performance for the one who had 28 goals in two seasons, in all competitions, at AS Vita Club in Kinshasa until 2021. And since then, the native of Mbuji-Mayi, in Grand Kasaï, has passed for the boss of the club of Dar es Salaam, a status he does not intend to lose.
” I got better. Each time, I have to do what I know how to do. Every game I fight to score and help my team win the game. »
Shy and quite reserved in public, Fiston Kalala Mayele can still do more according to Omer Mbayo, his former coach at AS Simba in Kolwezi from 2017 to 2018: “ He is a worker, a technician, he places himself very well, a fine scorer. It does what you ask. One day he will play at the top level “.
A Congolese international not long ago, Mayele is for some the right piece to make up for the possible absence of Cédric Bakambu, among the Leopards of the DRC. Author of a double in the quarter-final first leg of the Confederation Cup against the Nigerians of Rivers United (2-0)Mayele intends to shine once again in the return match this Sunday, April 30 and hoist the Young Africans into the last four of an African competition for the first time in their history.