Blow for Yanga SC as two key players ruled out of Polisi Tanzania clash

Two Young Africans (Yanga SC) players are set to miss Mainland Premier League action when the Jangwani outfit hosts Polisi Tanzania on Thursday.

Ahead of Cedric Kaze’s first game in charge as Yanga coach, the two - Mapinduzi Balama and Ally Makame - will miss the game at Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium due to injury and malaria respectively.

According to Yanga team manager Hafidhi Saleh, both players were in line to play a role in the fixture but have now been ruled out.

“[Balama] is working his way back to full fitness and has started light exercise to make him fit, however, the medical team is yet to confirm his fitness if he can join the first team training,” Saleh told Goal.

“On the other hand, Makame is suffering from a bout of malaria and he has been excused from the squad, we will check him out if he will be available for the next match.”

Balama has become a regular in Yanga’s team where he scored three goals last season, including the game against rivals Simba SC which gave him a chance to be nominated for the goal of the season.

Despite the absence of the two players, Yanga fans should be happy since coach Kaze has promised to revive the careers of strikers Michael Sarpong and Yacouba Songne at the club.

The two players were among the new arrivals at the club in the past transfer window, but they struggled to score goals under Serbian coach Zlatko Krmpotic, who was later fired by the club after only 37 days in charge.

However, Kaze, who joined Yanga to replace Krmpotic last Friday after penning a two-year deal, has revealed fans should expect to see the true colours of the two players, who he also claimed he had asked the club to sign.

Sarpong and Yaouba are new players in the squad and they are the key players in the striking area and I am happy each of them has managed to score a goal apiece so far in the league,” Kaze was quoted by Sokaletu.

“I want to be honest here, Sarpong and Yacouba are all good players, I know them very well and know the main reason they are struggling is because they are lacking someone to give them passes so that they can score goals.

“I can promise you that now that I have taken charge of the team, you will see a very big difference, you will see why I asked the club to sign them even on my behalf, very soon you will see their importance for the club.”

Yanga are currently lying third on the league table behind Azam FC and Simba with their last league match being a 3-0 win against Coastal Union at Mkapa Stadium.