Before kickoff Yanga lined up in a roughly 4-4-2 with Chuji standing in the left back position. This was done in an attempt to bamboozle their opponents as to what formation they were deploying. Once the game got underway it was clear that they were using a 3-4-1-2, Niyonzima playing behind the front two while Mtibwa lined up in a 4-2-3-1. Both teams started well with each trying to develop play from the back.

MTIBWA 3 – YANGA 0:  Yanga's 3-4-1-2 in disarray

Mtibwa’s strategy:
 

The home side approach was simple, get Nditi on the ball and look to play to the wide attackers. Nditi was Mtibwa’s fulcrum playing slightly deeper than his midfield partner and drifting side to side. They created their

first chance within the first six minutes through such play.
 

Mtibwa’s goal came from a corner taken from their left side. They concentrated they attacks  down their left wing and it would seem that their attacking strength lies on this side as they also used this side against Polisi Moro.  When they attacked down this flank the full back joined as well as Nditi drifting towards this side at times creating a 3v3 on this wing. This overload sometimes left the opposite wing exposed and Nditi tried to exploit this with a diagonal cross field pass but the quality of the pass was poor.
 

During the defensive phase Mtibwa reverted to a 4-4-2 with nditi deeper thus at times looked like a 4-1-3-2. Yanga’s two attackers were not involved in the defensive phase. Mtibwa’s right fullback drifted inwards to join the two centre backs thus creating a 3v2 in their favour ensuring defensive solidity at the back when they attacked down the left.

Yanga’s problems
 

Problems begun after Mtibwa’s opener. They lost their composure, abandoned playing out from the back and now started playing long balls.  They kept losing possession primary because Mtibwa had an aerial advantage both in midfield and in the centre back position in the form of Nditi and Daudi respectively. To further compound the problem their opponents were quicker to the second balls and were good at consolidating possession after they had won the second ball. Nditi was always an outlet as Niyonzima failed to press him.
 

The 3-4-1-2 relies heavy on the wingbacks providing width. The right wingback did get into wide positions to receive the ball but was poor on the ball often misplacing passes and losing possession. As a result Yanga shifted their attack towards the left wing and were making headway managing to win a series of corners on that side. Niyonzima also started to drift towards that side. The corners were poor but their best chance of the half came from a free kick which rebounded off the keeper but the rebound was not converted.

The three central defenders were playing 3v1 at the back.  This denied Yanga of one more man in the attacking phase. This is an inherent weakness of playing a back three against a lone striker. One of the 3 central defenders becomes redundant. A natural remedy is to move the sweeper ahead of the two man markers with the knock-on effect being that the holding midfielder will be pushed further up the field hence increasing the number of players involved in the attack. In Yanga's case that would Yondani stepping up and Chuji moving higher up the pitch. The second alternative is to have one of the man markers bring the ball up to midfield when building up from the back.
 

Saintfiet will be disappointed with the way the second goal was conceded. A long ball left to bounce (poor defending) and Nadir Haroub outmuscled in the air before the ball being half volleyed into the net. For a system designed to deal with such a threat it’s surprising if not comical that they would concede in such a manner.

Second half
 

Yanga simply failed to assimilate the tactical movements of the 3-4-1-2 and reshuffling was needed. They changed to a 4-2-3-1 formation and looked comfortable. Twite became the holding midfielder with Chuji moving higher up. Mtibwa still attacked down their left and pace was a factor leading to a call for a penalty that was not awarded. With Twite playing well Satifiet substituted him and Chuji again reverted to the role of a holding midfielder. Their best chances came down their left wing.