Dar es Salaam. Young Africans (Yanga) will be without their striker Clement Mzize for Sunday’s eagerly awaited traditional rivals’ clash against Simba at the New Amaan Complex in Zanzibar.
The match, scheduled to kick off at 8:15pm, is one of the most anticipated fixtures in Tanzanian football, but Yanga will have to navigate the high-stakes encounter without one of their key attacking players due to injury.
A senior club official, who spoke to The Citizen on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Mzize has undergone surgery in South Africa.
The official added that the exact duration of the striker’s absence will be communicated after further medical assessment upon his return to Tanzania.
According to the source, Yanga’s team doctor accompanied Mzize to South Africa for the procedure, which was described as successful.
“We thank God the operation went well. Now we are praying for him to fully recover and return to his normal condition,” the source said.
“He had recovered earlier and even featured in our match against ASFAR in Rabat, Morocco. Unfortunately, he sustained another knee injury in the same area where he had previously been hurt.”
The recurrence of the injury forced the club’s medical team and management to opt for surgery in order to ensure a long-term solution rather than risk further complications.
Despite the setback, the club remains optimistic about Mzize’s future. “He is still young and has plenty of time ahead of him to continue serving Yanga. That is why the management is doing everything possible to ensure he regains full fitness,” the source added.
Mzize was one of Yanga’s standout performers last season. He emerged as the leading local scorer in the Mainland Premier League, netting 14 goals, a remarkable feat that underlined his growing importance to the squad.
The striker first picked up the injury on September 19, 2025, during Yanga’s 3-0 victory over Wiliete SC of Angola in the preliminary round of the CAF Champions League.
Although he worked his way back to match fitness and returned to action, the re-injury raised concerns within the club.
