DAR ES SALAAM: INTERIM Young Africans coach Simo Dladla has promised a stronger performance from the defending champions, while Mashujaa coach Amani Josiah has warned his side against underestimating their opponents ahead of their Mainland Premier League clash at KMC Complex in Dar es Salaam today.
The encounter comes at a delicate moment for Yanga following the departure of head coach Manqoba Mngqithi, leaving Dladla with the immediate responsibility of restoring confidence and delivering the results expected by the club’s supporters.
Yanga head into the match under pressure to respond after failing to secure their desired results against Simba and TRA United, with Dladla acknowledging the disappointment among Wananchi and promising improvements.
“We know we disappointed you in the last game. We did not get the desired result. We have identified our shortcomings, and we are going to work very hard to rectify our mistakes,” Dladla said.
The interim coach also admitted that the players and technical bench understand the responsibility they carry at a club where supporters demand not only victories but also entertaining football.
“We owe you goals, good football and spirited performances every time we step onto the field,” he added, appealing to supporters to remain patient and continue backing the team.
Young Africans currently occupy second place with 19 points.
They trail behind league leaders Simba by five points while Mashujaa FC sit in sixth place with 12 points from eight games.
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Yanga’s recent dominance over Mashujaa adds another dimension to the encounter, with the defending champions having won all six of their previous league meetings.
However, Josiah insists that the coaching change should not encourage Mashujaa to approach the contest with the belief that they hold an advantage.
The Mashujaa coach maintained that Yanga’s status as champions, together with the experience within their technical bench, makes them dangerous opponents regardless of who occupies the head coach’s position.
“We are still talking about Yanga as a big team. We are talking about them as champions, not as a small team,” Josiah said.
He pointed to Yanga’s previous championship success, arguing that the contribution of assistant coaches to the club’s title-winning campaign demonstrated that the team could remain competitive even without a permanent head coach.
Josiah cautioned against allowing the debate surrounding Mngqithi’s departure to overshadow the realities of the match, stressing that Yanga still possesses professionals capable of guiding the side through the transition.
“For us, this is still a difficult match. We should not look at their situation as an advantage because they can still win the championship with an interim coach,” he said.
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