As national teams continue competing in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 currently taking place in Morocco, Yanga head coach Pedro Goncalves has expressed his delight with the performances of his players featuring in the tournament.
Pedro said he has been closely following the competition, which features 24 nations including Tanzania—making their fourth AFCON appearance since 1980—and has been impressed by the Yanga players representing their respective national teams.
Yanga have six players involved in the tournament, including four from Tanzania’s Taifa Stars: Mohammed Hussein “Tshabalala”, Offen Chikola, Dickson Job, Ibrahim Bacca, and Bakar Mwamnyeto, while Djigui Diarra is representing Mali and Prince Dube is with Zimbabwe.
Pedro, who previously guided Angola to qualification for the AFCON finals before joining Yanga, said the tournament is greatly benefiting the players, as they have consistently shown high-level performances in every match they have played.
He added that his main concern is ensuring the players return from AFCON without injuries, as Yanga face a demanding schedule in both the CAF Champions League and the NBC Premier League once the tournament in Morocco concludes.
Yanga, who are currently second in Group B of the CAF Champions League, have two consecutive matches against Egypt’s Al Ahly scheduled between January 23 and 30, before taking on AS FAR.
They will then face Algeria’s JS Kabylie in February next year.
“These matches are very beneficial, especially in terms of physical fitness. Players stay sharp all the time due to the training they receive and the competitive mindset they maintain throughout,”
“This is a great opportunity because we have CAF competitions coming up soon, so if they return without injuries, the squad will be full of players in top form,”
Pedro noted that several players have continued to display excellent performances in the matches they have played, citing Diarra as a prime example.
“I am very pleased with the levels shown by the players at AFCON. Even though they are competing alongside players from other clubs, they have still earned their places and done justice to the opportunity,”
“Starting with Mali goalkeeper Djigui Diarra, Prince Dube, and all the Taifa Stars players—they make me enjoy every match they play because of the quality they have maintained so far at AFCON,”
As the tournament continues, Pedro and the remaining Yanga players who are not at AFCON are continuing their preparations ahead of the 2026 Mapinduzi Cup, where Yanga will compete in Group C alongside KVZ and TRA United.
