Yanga, Tanzania Prisons face off in crucial League match

Yanga today play Tanzania Prisons at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium from 7pm. PHOTO | COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • Yanga are at the top of the league standings with 56 points from 22 matches while Tanzania Prisons are placed 14th with 22 points from 22 matches

Dar es Salaam. Young Africans (Yanga) will have another tricky test today when they take on Tanzania Prisons at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in the ongoing NBC Premier League.

The match, which will kickoff from 7pm, may clearly show who will win this season’s league.

Yanga inches closer to the title with a double digit gap as the league head into the home stretch. However, a match against Tanzania Prisons is a big test against for the Jangwani Street giants, who have so far not lost a game this season.

A victory for Yanga will send a clear message that the race for the tile is almost over, while Tanzania Prisons would want to break the unbeaten record, which may delay the title party.

Yanga sit atop the league standings with 56 points from 22 matches while Tanzania Prisons are placed 14th with 22 points from 22 matches. The match will see the return of the Yanga head coach Nesreddine Nabi in the technical bench. Nabi was suspended for three matches due to indiscipline.

Yanga target victory against their rivals in order to widen the team’s points gap with other clubs. However, it is not going to be a walk in the park.

“We need to be well-focused in the match, knowing it is not going to be easy, as each club is out and out for victory on the soccer pitch.

“We want to maintain our winning streak by continuing to win match after match, despite facing tough opponents,” said Nabi. Yanga are expected to field their key players like Fiston Mayele, Feisal Salum, Yannick Bangala, Djuma Shaaban, Khalid Aucho and Bakari Mwamnyeto.

Yanga need at least 15 points in the remaining eight matches in order to win the title after missing it in four consecutive seasons.

Tanzania Prisons head coach Patrick Odhiambo said their target is to end Yanga’s unbeaten record in the league and win the match to avoid relegation zone.

Odhiambo said his players are in good shape to face the league leaders. “It will indeed be a tough match. But we have been in intensive training ahead of the game, and our players are able, willing and ready to make us happy,” said Odhiambo. According to the coach, Prisons are aware that Yanga are in top form, but that will not stop them from targeting an upset. “ We real face an uphill task against Yanga, but we need to prove our worth and fight till the final minute in oder to win the match,” he said.