Young Africans SC (Yanga SC) will miss the services of Carlos Carlinhos when they play Biashara Mara United on Saturday in their Tanzania Mainland League match.
The midfielder has been part of the reason why the 27-time champions have been performing well in the top-tier. But Timu ya Wananchi will now have to find an alternative when they visit the Francis Baraza-led charges.
"Two players will miss Saturday's game away to Biashara," Yanga team doctor Shecky Mngazija revealed ahead of this weekend's game.
"Mapinduzi Balama is still nursing his injuries meaning he will definitely be out of the game. Carlinhos is also down with malaria, so he is not available to play as well.
"I cannot give a timeline for [Carlinhos] return since it will depend on how his body responds to the medication."
Next Match
"On our way to Musoma, our players got a rare chance to visit the home of the first President of the Republic of Tanzania, the late Julius Nyerere at Butiama," Wananchi revealed.
Biashara United are third and three points below Yanga and Saturday's match is expected to be an explosive one given the stakes it carries.
When they registered a 2-1 win over KMC FC in the previous encounter, coach Cedric Kaze partnered Waziri Junior – who had not enjoyed a start under Zlatko Krmpotic – with Michael Sarpong. He thereafter insisted every player will get his time.
Ahead of their Saturday assignment, the team paid a courtesy call to the family of the former Tanzania President Julius Nyerere.
Yanga were on their way to Musoma where they will be hosted by Biashara for the eighth game of the league season, and had to make a stop-over and visit the late President’s family in their rural home.
The visit also saw the club’s chairman and GSM’s Hersi Said give Nyerere’s wife, Mama Maria a club jersey.
On Friday, Azam FC dropped points again when they were held to a 1-1 by JKT Tanzania.
Debutants Gwambina FC fell 3-0 at home to Kinondoni-based KMC who moved to fourth on the log with 14 points.
Azam are now on 22 points after nine matches and Yanga might overtake them with a win on Saturday.
