Young Africans vs Al Ahly Prediction

Young Africans vs Al Ahly prediction: tight Group B rematch

The Young Africans vs Al Ahly prediction story writes itself: this CAF Champions League Group B return match lands on Saturday, January 31, 2026, with kickoff at 13:00 GMT, and it arrives with real pressure attached. Al Ahly’s 2-0 win in the first leg eight days earlier means Yanga must respond, not just perform. The setting also adds spice, because Yanga will host at Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar rather than their more familiar base in Dar es Salaam.

In the table, Al Ahly sit top on 7 points while Young Africans are second with 4. With AS FAR and JS Kabylie not far away, Yanga can’t treat this as “nice to have” points. The mood is closer to “must not lose,” especially given the historical head to head edge that tends to lean Al Ahly’s way.

What to expect on the pitch in Zanzibar

Yanga’s form line is still respectable despite the first-leg defeat. Before that 2-0 loss on January 23, they had gone roughly four months unbeaten, and they steadied themselves quickly with a 3-1 league win over Dodoma Jiji on January 27. Under Pedro Gonçalves, appointed late in 2025, the message has been about focus and sacrifice, and you can expect a more assertive approach than in Cairo.

Tactically, the first meeting showed a pattern: Young Africans could hold the ball early and create danger through quick transitions, but Al Ahly punished moments of exposure with sharp counters and aerial strength. Back in Zanzibar, Yanga are likely to press higher and earlier, trying to disrupt Al Ahly’s build-up and keep the game in the half where Prince Dube and Allan Okello can run at defenders rather than chase them.

• Depú is the form card for Yanga: three goals in his first two league games, including two versus Dodoma Jiji.
• Clement Mzize remains unlikely to start after surgery, while Mudathir Yahaya could be close to returning, which would help the midfield balance.

Al Ahly, meanwhile, look comfortable in their rhythm after the break. They followed the first-leg win with a 3-1 league victory over Wadi Degla, and Jess Thorup has been blending new pieces into a slightly adjusted structure. Mahmoud “Trezeguet” Hassan is the headline after scoring both in the first leg and leading the scoring charts with five.

• Mostafa Shobeir has recently been preferred in goal after a run of clean sheets.
• Yasser Ibrahim is a likely miss with a thigh muscle tear, while Karim Fouad continues a long recovery.

Young Africans vs Al Ahly prediction and NerdyTips betting tips

The market prices Al Ahly as deserved favourites: home win 3.6, draw 3.3, away win 2.05. That gap matches the squad values too—about €2.25m for Young Africans versus €39.17m for Al Ahly—yet football enjoys ignoring price tags on the day. Yanga’s 0-0 away draw at Mamelodi Sundowns in 2024 (priced around 11.0) is a good reminder that disciplined defending can travel. Al Ahly also know about surprising outcomes, like that eye-catching 4-1 result against El Dakhleya in 2024 despite huge pre-match odds against them.

Still, our data leans toward a controlled game. The standout is the goals angle: Under 2.5 goals is the main pick at 1.61, with confidence 5.3/10 (trust level 5.4). With Al Ahly already holding a first-leg cushion and Yanga likely pushing without wanting to concede early, the match can easily fall into a tense pattern where chances are earned the hard way.

For the 1X2, the safer route is X2 (Al Ahly or Draw) at 1.28, though the trust level is modest at 2.0—mainly because playing in Zanzibar adds unknowns, and Yanga’s response should be emotional and energetic. Even so, Al Ahly’s efficiency in key moments keeps them on the right side of most models.

• AI pick: Under 2.5 goals (odds 1.61)
• 1X2 lean: X2 (odds 1.28)
• Predicted half-time score: 0:1
• Predicted full-time score: 0:1

Final word for beginner bettors: this Young Africans vs Al Ahly prediction is less about fireworks and more about control. If you like steady betting tips, the under looks like the sensible starting point, with Al Ahly’s side of the double chance backing up the head to head trend.