Mwakabela: Yanga SC's target is to start second round ‘as if we don’t have points’

Young Africans (Yanga SC) have urged their players to start the second round of the Mainland Premier League as if they have not won a game in this campaign.

The Jangwani giants opened their second-round campaign with a 1-1 draw against Tanzania Prisons in a match played at Nelson Mandela Stadium to extend their unbeaten start.

However, the club’s vice-chairman, Fredrick Mwakalebela, has said the leadership and technical bench have met with the players to urge them to forget the results of the first round to start with new pace in the second round.

“Our strategy is to start the second round faster, we have already talked to our players to forget the results of the first round and now look at the second round to make sure every match we get three points,” Mwakalebela said as quoted by Sokalabongo.

“What we are looking for is to start the second round as if we do not have points, that will help a lot to achieve our set targets for the season.

“The fans are trying hard to show up on the field and they have been supporting us, so the players have a debt to pay them which is nothing but to win the major league title.”

Mwakalebela continued: “If the leadership is doing its job well, we will make sure we give the players everything on time so they can do well and win the championship.”

Yanga, who are leading the 18-team table with 44 points from 18 matches, have now shifted their focus to the Mapinduzi Cup which will kick-off on Tuesday in Zanzibar.

The annual competition will kick-off on January 5 to 13 and has attracted top teams from the Mainland Premier League including Simba SC, Azam FC, and defending champions Mtibwa Sugar.

Yanga have already named a squad of 20 players for the tournament with Kenyan keeper Farouk Shikhalo making the cut alongside Angolan winger Carlos Carlinhos, who is returning from injury after missing most of the first-round matches in the league.

The Jangwani giants under coach Cedric Kaze, will, however, miss the services of their captain Lamine Moro and Balama Mapinduzi who are both out injured.

Other players will miss the tournament because they are currently with the Tanzania national team in Cameroon for the Chan tournament and these include Feisal, Kaseke, Yasin Mustapha, Farid Mussa, Bakari Mwamnyeto, and Ditram Nchimbi.

Goal also understands striker Yacoub Songne will not make the trip to Zanzibar because of injury and will thus miss the one-week tournament.

Songne, who is the current Yanga top scorer with four goals and has provided a total of four assists, injured his leg during the league match against Ihefu where they won 3-0, at Sokoine Stadium in Mbeya.

Yanga will start the tournament with a clash against Jamhuri FC at 2.15 pm on Tuesday.