Yanga face challenging task against Kagera Sugar today

Dar es Salaam. Mainland Tanzania Premier League defending champions Young Africans (Yanga) today face a challenging task against Kagera Sugar at the Kaitaba Stadium in Kagera as the top tier resumes after about 40 days of its stoppage.

Yanga played their last match of the league on December 23 last year against Tabora United at the Jamhuri Stadium in Dodoma and won 1-0 by Stephane Aziz Ki.

The Yanga-Kagera Sugar match will kick off at 4pm, and both teams will be targeting victory in order to improve their chances in the league standings.

The Jangwani Street giants are placed second with 30 points from 11 matches, and victory will make them lead the league table with 33 points. Currently, Azam FC are at the top with 31 points from 13 matches.

Kagera Sugar are in the danger zone of the league log, sitting 14th with 13 points from 13 matches, and victory will make them leapfrog Ihefu FC, who are placed 13th with 13 points from 14 matches. Also, teams that Kagera Sugar may leapfrog depending on their score margin against Yanga are Tabora United, who are paced in the 12th position with 16 points from 13 matches, JKT Tanzania and Geita Gold FC, who are placed 11th and 10th respectively with 16 points each.

Yanga head coach Miguel Gamondi said their target is to win the encounter at the away ground and dominate the top seat in the league standings.

He added that they would not be ready to disappoint their fans in the match that is expected to be thrilling.

“We know the match is going to be tough as Kagera Sugar will also be targeting victory. It is a very important match, as we need to win and take the top position in the league. My players had good training and have promised to do their best in the match,” said Gamondi.

The encounter will be the first test for Kagera Sugar new head coach Fred Felix Minziro, who took up the vacant post left by outspoken Mecky Mexime, who has joined Ihefu FC.

Minziro is facing an uphill task against Yanga, who will miss their key players Stephane Aziz Ki and Djigui Diarra, who is with his Mali national football team at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals in Ivory Coast.

"We know that we are facing a tall mountain to climb, but we are taking the match seriously to bag all the three points,” said Minziro.