Tanzania national team coach Miguel Angel Gamondi has criticized the quality of the Dar es Salaam derby between Azam FC and Young Africans S.C., saying the match failed to provide enough entertainment for the large number of fans who attended.
Gamondi, who was present at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium to watch the clash, said he expected a more attacking game with plenty of goal-scoring chances and high tempo—elements that, in his view, were largely missing from the match.
“You know the kind of football I like. For me, football is always about entertainment. When fans come to the stadium, they want to see teams attacking, creating chances and scoring goals. Today we didn’t see much of that,” Gamondi said after the Tanzania Premier League match.
A Derby That Lacked Excitement
For many years, the derby between Azam FC and Young Africans S.C. has been considered one of the most competitive and entertaining fixtures in Tanzanian football. However, according to Gamondi, this particular encounter did not reach that level.
The coach explained that both teams appeared to play with greater caution rather than focusing on attacking play, which slowed the pace of the game and resulted in very few clear goal-scoring opportunities.
Gamondi emphasized that in big matches such as derbies, fans expect open competition and more exciting football.
Busy League Schedule Could Be a Factor
However, the Tanzania national football team coach admitted that the situation may have been influenced by player fatigue due to the demanding match schedule at this stage of the season.
He explained that when players have to play many matches in a short period of time, they often reduce their attacking intensity and instead adopt a more cautious style to avoid mistakes.
Yanga Remain Top of the League
Despite the criticism of the match quality, the derby result did not change the positions at the top of the table. Young Africans S.C. remain in first place with 36 points, while Azam FC stay in second with 28 points.
Gamondi’s comments have sparked debate among football stakeholders in the country, with some agreeing that fans expect to see more exciting football, especially in major matches.
