Yanga Princess head coach Edna Lema has made it clear that her side are determined to end their poor run of results against Simba Queens when the two teams meet in the Community Shield semi-final tomorrow, Wednesday, at KMC Complex.
Lema said Yanga Princess have prepared thoroughly for the match, although she acknowledged that her team have struggled in recent encounters against Simba Queens.
The coach said the preparations and improvements made to the squad have given her confidence that Yanga Princess can produce a different result this time around.
“We have prepared well for our match against Simba. We know we have not had good results in our previous matches against our opponents, but we have prepared well for tomorrow’s game. We ask our fans to continue believing in us; we will not let them down,” Lema said.
Lema: It will not be an easy match
Lema is aware of the size of the challenge facing her team given the quality of Simba Queens, but she believes Yanga Princess have what it takes to compete and secure victory.
According to the coach, having new players in her squad could present a challenge, but she also sees an advantage in Yanga Princess knowing their opponents well.
“We are certainly heading into a difficult match. It cannot be an easy game because we have new players in our team. However, we have the advantage of knowing our opponents, Simba Queens, while they do not know our players very well. But we believe in ourselves and we have a good team capable of competing this season,” she said.
Lema also confirmed that her squad is in good condition ahead of the match, saying there are currently no injury concerns.
“All our players are doing well. We have no injuries so far and we have no excuses heading into tomorrow’s match. The entire technical bench wants to win,” she said.
Diana Mnally: We want to change the tide
From the players’ side, Diana Mnally said Yanga Princess are determined to use the match to change their recent record against Simba Queens.
Mnally said they have faced Simba Queens several times without getting the results they wanted, but those experiences have formed part of their preparations for the new season.
“It is not the first or second time we have faced Simba Queens, but we did not get good results during that period. This is a new season, we have prepared well and we need a positive result to put the past behind us based on the preparations we have made for this match,” Mnally said.
No fear in the Yanga Princess camp
Mnally said that despite the presence of new players in the squad, there is no fear within the team ahead of the semi-final.
She said the technical bench has helped the players understand the importance of the match and how to deal with the competition expected from Simba Queens.
“There is no fear in our team. Although we have new players in the squad, we have already spoken to them about the nature of the match and they have prepared well because they understand that every league is competitive. So we have prepared well physically and mentally to beat Simba Queens,” she said.
Preparations complete
According to Mnally, Yanga Princess have trained sufficiently ahead of the match and are now waiting to step onto the pitch and put into practice what they have worked on.
The player urged Yanga fans to continue backing the team and giving them their support in the important match.
“We have trained sufficiently for this match. We also ask our fans not to stop supporting us. They should continue backing us and believing in us. We promise them something good in tomorrow’s match,” she said.
A semi-final showdown for a place in the final
The Yanga Princess versus Simba Queens match is expected to be one of the most highly anticipated fixtures in the Community Shield, given the rivalry between the two teams.
For Yanga Princess, victory would secure a place in the final and provide an opportunity to start the season positively against an opponent against whom they have struggled for satisfactory results in recent meetings.
