VPL: Ndanda Now On Revenge Mission Against Yanga

Dar es Salaam — Ndanda FC head coach, Malale Hamsini says his team will be out to avenge their first round defeat to Young Africans when the two teams clash again today in Mtwara.

Victory over Yanga at Nangwanda Sijaona Stadium would "put to bed" bitter memories of Ndanda's defeat to the Jangwani Street giants in Dar es Salaam last year, Hamsini said yesterday.

Ndanda went down 1-0 to Yanga in the first round of this season's Mainland Premier League match at the Uhuru Stadium.

"The first round game is still in our heads. Of course we want revenge. We want to show that the first round defeat was just a slip up," Hamsini told The Citizen by phone from Mtwara yesterday.

He added: "We want to make the first-leg performance a thing of the past."

"I am very confident that we will give our supporters something to cheer about at Nangwanda Sijaona Stadium tomorrow (today)."

His hopes stems from the fact that Ndanda have never lost a league match to Yanga at the Nangwanda venue.

Yanga striker Ibrahim Ajibu, whose goal gave the Jangwani Street giants a 1-0 win in the first round, is among players Ndanda defenders will mark tightly today, according to Hamsini.

While Ndanda need a win to revive their hopes of avoiding relegation when the league comes to a close in May, defending champions Yanga seek victory so as to narrow a gap with league leaders Simba.

Yanga sit second in the league table with 37 points from 18 outings, eight adrift of their traditional foes Simba, who are not in action today.

Ndanda, on the other hand, are fourth from the bottom in the 16-team league with 18 points after 18 games.

For his part, Yanga assistant coach Shadrack Nsajigwa predicted a tricky match, but remained optimistic that it would produce positive result for his team.

"We have to prove to ourselves that we are one of the top teams in Tanzania and that we can win games like this," he said.

"When everyone is fit, we have a lot of potential in the squad and I see our prospects as being very positivet," he said.