The coaches of Yanga and Azam FC have expressed confidence ahead of their highly anticipated CRDB Bank Federation Cup semi-final clash, with both sides determined to secure a place in the final.
Yanga head coach Abdihamid Moalin said it is a great honor for the club to reach the semi-finals of the competition and stressed that their primary objective is to win and advance to the final.
Speaking during a pre-match press conference, Moalin praised his players for maintaining their hunger for success and their strong competitive spirit across different competitions.
"We arrived safely and preparations for tomorrow's match are progressing well. The players are in good mental and physical condition, and we know what needs to be done," said Moalin.
He added that his team's experience in major matches will be one of their key strengths going into the encounter.
"It is a great honor to play in the semi-finals of a competition like this. We deserve to be here, but our goal is to reach the final. To achieve that, we must be at our best and win tomorrow," he said.
Moalin also urged his players to remain humble and hungry for success despite the achievements they have enjoyed in recent seasons.
"We must remain humble, hungry for success, and never get tired of winning. Winning is something special that many teams aspire to achieve. This is another year and another opportunity to create new history," he emphasized.
He also called on Yanga supporters to turn out in large numbers and back the team in the important match.
On the other side, Azam FC head coach Florent Ibenge acknowledged the challenge of facing Yanga but insisted that his team has prepared thoroughly and is determined to qualify for the final.
"We know it will be a difficult match against Yanga, but we have prepared tactically to win. We have played them three times; one match ended in a draw and we lost two, including one on penalties. Those results show that the gap between us is not large," said Ibenge.
The DR Congo tactician added that although Yanga may be viewed as favorites due to their recent form, Azam FC will enter the match with only one objective.
"I know they may be considered the stronger side going into the game, but we will be ready and we want to win so that we can reach the final," he said.
The CRDB Bank Federation Cup semi-final will be played on Sunday, June 21, at CCM Kirumba Stadium in Mwanza.
