Yanga head coach Pedro Goncalves has said his team is fully prepared for their upcoming NBC Premier League clash against Azam FC, which will be played on Sunday at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.
Speaking during a press conference earlier today, Goncalves admitted that the match will not be easy as his side faces one of the strongest teams in the league.
The Portuguese coach emphasized that his players are determined to fight for victory and secure all three points.
"We are going to face one of the toughest teams in the league. Azam FC have been performing well, even in the CAF Confederation Cup (CAFCC)," said Goncalves.
"We also faced them in the Mapinduzi Cup final in Zanzibar. They are a strong team coached by someone with great experience in African football."
Goncalves also expressed excitement about coaching his first match at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium since joining the club.
"For me it is a good thing to play at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium. This will be my first time coaching a match in this stadium since I arrived here."
The Yanga coach also acknowledged the team’s tight schedule, noting that they had only two days to prepare for the encounter.
"We have had a tough schedule and only two days to prepare for this match. Yesterday was not easy because we had a recovery program, and today we will complete our preparations."
"But we remain strong. My players understand what they need to do despite playing in different conditions. It will be a difficult match, but I believe my players are ready with great spirit and motivation to win," Goncalves added.
Meanwhile, Azam FC head coach Florent Ibenge admitted that his team will face a difficult challenge against what he described as the best team in Tanzania over the past four seasons.
However, Ibenge also expressed disappointment over the decision to play the match at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium instead of Azam Complex, which he believes should have been the home venue.
"I think this match should have been played at Azam Complex because that is our home stadium. Playing at Mkapa gives Yanga an advantage because it is like their home ground, and we will end up playing two matches against them here," said Ibenge.
"We know we are going to face the best team in Tanzania at the moment, but Azam FC are working hard to reduce the gap between us and them," he added.
