Nabi targets CAF honours as Yanga resume preparations

Yanga head coach Nasreddine Nabbi (centre), speaks to players during the CAF Confederation Cup 2023 training at Royal Befokeng Stadium in South Africa on May 16. PHOTO | COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • The team players returned to training camp yesterday and the team technical director said they have a reason to smile as all the players are in good shape and there is no injuries.

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s envoys in the CAF Confederation Cup, Young Africans (Yanga), have started preparations for the first leg of the final match of the tournament against USM Alger of Algeria.

The encounter will take place on Sunday at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

Yanga players had one day rest after they successfully eliminated Singida Big Stars in the Azam Federation Cup semifinal match held last Sunday at the Liti Stadium in Singida.

Yanga won 1-0 over the Singida based team to book space for playing in the final match to be held mid next month against Azam FC at the Mkwakwani Stadium in Tanga.

Yanga head coach Nasreddine Nabbi admitted having a tough fixture, saying, however, that it is good enough they have managed to record positive results and meet their target.

The team players returned to training camp yesterday and the team technical director said they have a reason to smile as all the players are in good shape and there is no injuries.

Nabi said that they are now targeting to add another title this season after having already clinched the Mainland Tanzania title as well as the Community Shield.

“I am very happy to take this team to the final. We are the first Tanzanian team to do so and it is a huge achievement for us. Now, we will try to win this Cup,” said Nabi.

He said they have a good strategy to ensure they win the match and has praised his players for the achievement.

“We understood that Marumo are a good team, but we didn’t want to give them too much space. We made a good tactical plan for the game and we also wanted to ensure we didn’t concede in the first 25-30 minutes,” noted Nabbi.

Meanwhile, Nabbi was full of praise for striker Fiston Mayele, who scored the opener and set up the second in their 2-1 victory in the return tie in South Africa.

“I am really happy for him and how he is performing. I signed him from AS Vita and I am glad he has repaid the faith I had in him. He has a year left on his contract and of course there is so much interest in him but hopefully he can stay,” Nabbi noted.