Manqoba cherishes Yanga’s winning run

DAR ES SALAAM: YOUNG Africans head coach Manqoba Mngqithi has hailed his side’s disciplined display after they continued their perfect start to the Mainland Premier League season with a 2-0 victory away to Fountain Gate.

The result kept Yanga firmly at the top of the table with 15 points from five matches, but for Mngqithi, the biggest satisfaction came from the manner in which his players seized control of the contest. The visitors set the tone early, applying relentless pressure and refusing to let Fountain Gate settle.

Mngqithi said the first-half performance was particularly encouraging, as his players kept the pressure on until they finally found the goals that put them in command.

“I am happy with our performance in the first half. We kept the stove hot up until we got the goals that we wanted, and from there, we managed to manage the game,” he said.

The coach was equally pleased with the defensive side of the performance, with another clean sheet underlining Yanga’s ability to combine attacking intent with defensive discipline. But the second half offered a rather different picture.

Mngqithi admitted that his team became less polished after the interval, describing the performance as “a little bit scrappy” as he made changes and gave opportunities to players who have so far had limited playing time. Rather than seeing the changes as a weakness, however, the coach viewed them as an important test of the depth and quality within his squad.

He explained that several of those introduced needed the opportunity to prove they could challenge for regular places — including potential opportunities with the national team.

“A lot of the players that I gave a chance were mainly the players that have not had an opportunity to play, and players that I also think must fight for some places in the national team because I believe that will help us a lot,” Mngqithi said.

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Despite the scrappier nature of the second half, Fountain Gate never managed to turn the game into a serious threat to Yanga’s lead. That, according to Mngqithi, was another encouraging sign.

“I am happy that everybody gave a good account of himself, and I think we managed the game very well. It never really got out of control. I was excited about that,” he said.

The victory therefore offered Yanga more than another three points. It gave Mngqithi a valuable opportunity to assess players outside his regular starting line-up, test his squad depth and maintain the team’s impressive defensive record. Most importantly, the result ensured Yanga’s winning run remained intact.

Five matches into the Mainland Premier League campaign, they have collected maximum points from every outing — a perfect record that leaves Mngqithi with plenty to celebrate, even as he looks for greater consistency across the full 90 minutes.

For the coach, the Fountain Gate encounter was ultimately a successful balancing act: win the match, protect the clean sheet and give fringe players the chance to stake their claim.