The match is scheduled to kick off at 4pm, while earlier at 2pm, Singida Black Stars will host Mashujaa FC at the KMC Complex
Dar es Salaam. Defending champions Young Africans (Yanga SC) return to action this afternoon in the Mainland Tanzania Premier League, aiming to maintain their strong start when they face Mbeya City at the Sokoine Stadium in Mbeya.
The much-anticipated fixture is scheduled to kick off at 4pm, while earlier in the day, Singida Black Stars will host Mashujaa FC at the KMC Complex in Dar es Salaam from 2pm.
Yanga began their title defense with a statement victory, thrashing Pamba Jiji FC 3-0 at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
That dominant performance confirmed that the champions remain hungry and focused despite already holding a firm grip on Tanzanian football in recent seasons.
A win today against Mbeya City would lift them to the summit of the table, as the current leaders, Dodoma Jiji, JKT Tanzania, Namungo, and Mashujaa with all have four points from two or three matches.
For Mbeya City, this encounter is an opportunity to turn around a shaky start. They have collected just three points from two games, scoring once and conceding twice.
Their most recent fixture, however, was an impressive 3-1 win, showing that they can trouble even the biggest teams if given space to operate. Playing at home in front of their supporters, Mbeya City will hope to cause an upset and halt Yanga’s march.
The history between these two sides is heavily tilted in Yanga’s favor. In the last 20 head-to-head meetings, Yanga have recorded the lion’s share of victories, often by narrow margins.
Matches between them tend to be tightly contested, with several ending in 1-0 or 1-1 results. Notably, Mbeya City shocked many in December 2022 by beating Yanga 3-2 in one of the most dramatic encounters of recent seasons.
That result remains a reminder that the Sokoine Stadium is not an easy hunting ground, even for the defending champions. In the 2022/23 season, Yanga won one fixture and drew another against Mbeya City, showcasing their resilience but also exposing occasional defensive lapses.
Mbeya’s counter-attacking style, especially at home, has traditionally troubled the champions. Fans will recall the goalless draw in May 2022 when Yanga struggled to break down a compact Mbeya defense.
This suggests today’s clash could again be a test of patience and creativity for coach Romain Folz’s men.
Key to Yanga’s hopes will be the sharpness of their attack, spearheaded by players such as Mohamed Doumbia, Prince Dube, Maxi Nzengeli, Mudathir Yahya, Andy Boyeli and Pacome Zouzoua, both instrumental in the opening-day triumph.
