Yanga SC’s Vice President, Arafat Haji, spoke to the media following a 2-0 victory against JKT Tanzania in the semifinal match of the CRDB FA Cup, held on Sunday, May 18, at Mkwakwani Stadium in Tanga.
This win has taken Yanga SC to the finals of the tournament for the fifth consecutive time, a feat that demonstrates the strength and consistency of the club in Tanzanian football.
Filled with joy over the achievement, Arafat congratulated their opponents, JKT Tanzania, for the challenge they presented, while also commenting on the condition of the Mkwakwani pitch, which despite recent renovations, was not in optimal shape due to ongoing rains.
“We prepared well for everything. We knew the opponent and we were familiar with the stadium, which had recently undergone some improvements, though it was affected by the continuous rains. So, we were aware of both the field conditions and our opponent,” Arafat said.
Fate of the Derby Match on June 15
Arafat also did not shy away from speaking about the much-anticipated rivalry match against Simba SC, which is scheduled for June 15, 2025 — a match that was originally set for March 8.
According to Arafat, Yanga SC’s position on the match remains unchanged — they will not play.
“Those who scheduled the match know what they meant. As an institution, Yanga SC has already stated its position on that game,” Arafat emphasized.
Elaborating further, Arafat explained that Yanga SC has several international invitations, and there is a high likelihood that the team will not be in the country on that date.
“Yanga SC has many invitations from Rwanda and Kenya, and it’s possible that on June 15 we may be in Mombasa or Rwanda attending to those invitations,” he added.
Yanga Firm on Not Playing Simba on June 15
Yanga has remained firm in its refusal to play against Simba on June 15, accusing the League Board of violating regulations by postponing the match after Simba failed to show up on March 8.
Yanga is demanding that the League Board publicly disclose the valid reasons behind the postponement and take appropriate action based on football governance rules.
The Tanzanian champions have expressed a lack of confidence in the League Board, calling for the resignation of its leaders — Chairman Steven Mguto and Chief Executive Officer Almas Kasongo.
Moreover, Yanga (nicknamed Wananchi) is demanding to be awarded the three points from the match, which was postponed after Simba sent a letter refusing to play, claiming they were denied the opportunity to conduct their final training session ahead of the game.
