Two days ago, Yanga made a strong start to their bid to defend the Premier League title for a sixth consecutive season, defeating Namungo FC 3-1 at Majaliwa Stadium in Ruangwa, Lindi.
In the match, Yanga head coach Manqoba Mngqithi handed young midfielder Abdulnasir Mohamed Abdallah, popularly known as “Casemiro,” a starting role, with the youngster playing for 65 minutes.
Speaking after the match, Mngqithi praised the midfielder for his performance and what he showed on the pitch.
Following what happened during Yanga Day, when Casemiro’s loss of possession in a dangerous area led to Aigles du Congo scoring their second goal, Mngqithi wanted to give him another opportunity to demonstrate that he still had the coach’s trust — and the youngster did not disappoint.
"The young player played very well. I think he completed more than 90% of his passes, and defensively he was also good. In short, I was very impressed and very happy because, as you remember, he played this match after coming from a game in which a goal was conceded as a result of his mistake."
"I needed to show him that I have confidence in him, and I truly believe that Yanga have added another player to the squad. Based on what he showed us, even if he is selected again in the future, people will not ask, ‘Why is this player playing?’"
"I took him off because he was tired, not because he was playing badly. Honestly, his ability on the pitch and his understanding of what needs to be done and where, especially for such a young player, really surprises me," said Mngqithi.
Casemiro joined Yanga last season from Zanzibar-based Mlandege FC. He had limited opportunities last season, but his performances this season have impressed the technical bench and he could feature regularly in many of the club’s matches.
