Kabugi: Why Yanga SC will beat Simba SC to league title

Young Africans (Yanga SC) have been touted as the clear favourites to clinch the 2020-21 Mainland Premier League title.

According to Burundi Football Federation (BFF) Information Officer Ramadhan Kabugi, the decision by the Jangwani giants to sign striker Said Ntibazonkiza and also hire the services of coach Cedric Kaze has given them the edge over rivals Simba in the current campaign.

Ntibazonkiza signed for Yanga after his goal enabled Burundi to beat Tanzania 1-0 in the international friendly played in Dar es Saalam four days ago while Kaze was unveiled as the coach to replace Zlatko Krmpotic on a two-year deal on Friday.

“The decision by Yanga to sign [Ntibazonkiza] and also hire Kaze for the coaching role will help them win the title this season,” Kabugi explained to Sokaletu.

“They are very experienced persons coming at a time when the team is also performing well, so their inclusion is a plus to the team, it will help them win the title and also set a record in the league.

“Ntibazonkiza is a good professional, a very experienced player who has played for top teams even in Europe, I am very sure he will score many goals for Yanga when he starts playing.

“On his part, the arrival of Kaze is also good for the team because he is a coach who loves playing the passing game and also loves to win matches, he is a very good coach and experienced coach in that matter, I know if they give him the support he needs, he will give them the title.”

Kaze had a busy day after the unveiling as he also visited the team’s residential camp situated at Avic Town, Kigamboni, in Dar es Salaam, where he interacted with the entire squad ahead of his first training session on Saturday.

In an earlier interview, Kaze revealed his delight at getting the job to handle one of the ‘biggest brands’ in East Africa and even the whole of Africa and promised to achieve bigger things with the Jangwani giants.

“I am very happy to be here,” Kaze told reporters on arriving at the Julius Nyerere International Airport. “I am also very proud to be the coach of Yanga, one of the biggest teams in Tanzania, East Africa, and even across Africa.

“I have received a lot of congratulatory messages from several quarters for accepting to take up the job and I promise them I will not disappoint, I now know that Yanga is a big brand, and urge all those associated with the club to pull together and support the team as we achieve more success in the coming years.”

Yanga have enjoyed a good start to the season as they have won four matches out of five played with the other one ending in a 1-1 draw.

Kaze’s first match for Yanga will be against Polisi Tanzania on October 22.