Yanga take on Mashujaa with Okello, Depu ready for action

Dar es Salaam. After a 44-day break from competitive action, Tanzania Mainland Premier League defending champions Young Africans (Yanga) return to the pitch today to face Mashujaa FC in a highly anticipated encounter at the KMC Complex, kicking off at 4pm.

Yanga last featured in league action on December 7, 2025, when they edged Coastal Union 1-0 at the same venue.

Since then, the champions have been inactive domestically, largely due to the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals in Morocco, where several of their key players were on international duty.

The long pause makes today’s fixture a crucial test of match sharpness and squad depth as the title race begins to intensify.

The clash is expected to be one of the toughest fixtures of the round, given the current league standings and the ambitions of both sides.

Yanga sit second on the table with 16 points from six matches and remain firmly in the hunt for top spot. A victory today would see the champions move to 19 points, leapfrogging current leaders JKT Tanzania, who have collected 17 points from 10 matches.

Even a draw could be enough to send Yanga to the summit, thanks to their superior goal difference. The champions boast an impressive +11 goal difference, having scored 12 goals and conceded just once, compared to JKT Tanzania’s +4 (12 scored, eight conceded).

This underlines Yanga’s defensive solidity and attacking efficiency so far this season. Mashujaa FC, however, are unlikely to make things easy. The side currently occupies fourth place with 13 points from nine matches and remains within touching distance of the top positions.

A win for Mashujaa would significantly boost their title credentials and could see them draw level on points with Yanga and third-placed Pamba, depending on the score margin.

With momentum on their side, Mashujaa will view this fixture as an opportunity to announce themselves as genuine contenders. 

Much of the spotlight will be on Yanga’s new signings, who could make their competitive debuts if registration procedures are completed in time. These include Ugandan attacking midfielder Allan Okello, Angolan striker Laurindo Dilson Maria Aureria, popularly known as Depu, and Tanzanian duo Emmanuel Mwanengo (striker) and midfielder Mohamed Damaro.

Their inclusion will ultimately depend on head coach Pedro Goncalves and his technical bench, as well as the players’ readiness following the long break. Historically, Yanga have enjoyed the upper hand in this fixture.

Records show that Mashujaa are yet to beat the champions in their last four meetings. The two sides last met at the KMC Complex on December 19, 2024, when Yanga secured a thrilling 3-2 victory. That result was followed by a dominant 5-0 away win for Yanga on February 23, 2025.

Earlier encounters also favoured the champions, with Yanga winning 2-1 at home on February 8, 2024, before completing a league double with a 1-0 away victory on May 5, 2024.

Those results add an extra psychological edge for Yanga, while providing Mashujaa with added motivation to rewrite history.

As the league resumes after the AFCON interruption, today’s match promises intensity, quality and significant implications for the title race, with both teams eager to make a strong statement.