YOUNG Africans SC (Yanga) head coach Miloud Hamdi has showered praise on his players and the club’s passionate supporters after guiding the team to a 2-0 victory over Singida Black Stars in the Federation Cup final held at the New Amaan Complex in Zanzibar.

In a post-match interview, Hamdi (pictured) expressed his gratitude and admiration for the club’s fans, describing their role as crucial in helping the team secure yet another piece of silverware.

“I would like to thank our fans. They helped us win this because they came in numbers to support us. It was not easy, but our fans make us very proud,” Hamdi said.

The Algerian tactician, who took charge of Young Africans mid-season, acknowledged the intensity of the final match and credited Singida Black Stars for providing stiff competition.

“The match was very tough, but we managed to win it. Singida Black Stars is a very challenging side with good players. I thank my players for the good performance, especially considering that we had to play four matches in just 10 days. It was not easy at all,” he emphasized.

Hamdi was visibly pleased with how his squad responded under pressure and highlighted their determination as a key reason for lifting the trophy.

Reflecting on the season as a whole, Hamdi declared the 2024/2025 campaign a major success, having clinched both the Premier League title and now the Federation Cup in a short span of time.

“This has been the best season for us. Winning both the Premier League and the FA Cup in just a few days of fighting shows how big Yanga is. These trophies are a reward for our hard work and unity.”

The final match itself was a tightly contested affair, with Duke Abuya and Clement Mzize emerging as the heroes of the night. Abuya broke the deadlock in the 39th minute after pouncing on a rebound from goalkeeper Amas Obasogie, who had attempted to clear a cross from Israel Mwenda. It was Abuya’s third goal in this season’s tournament.

The goal ignited Young Africans’ momentum, and the team pressed forward with urgency. Moments later, Mzize came close to doubling the lead but couldn’t convert the opportunity. His attempt led to a corner kick that failed to materialize into a goal.

The first half featured a fierce midfield battle with Young Africans’ Khalid Aucho and Duke Abuya engaging in a high-intensity duel with Singida’s Mohamed Damaro and Morice Chukwu.

Just before the halftime whistle, Young Africans goalkeeper Djigui Diarra produced two vital saves to deny Jonathan Sowah and Ande Koffi, preserving his side’s narrow 1-0 lead heading into the break.

Singida Black Stars coach David Ouma made tactical changes at the interval, replacing Gadiel Michael and Marouf Tchakei with Ibrahim Imoro and Edmund John in a bid to turn the tide. However, the substitution failed to yield the desired results.

Only five minutes into the second half, Young Africans capitalized on a swift counterattack, and Mzize made no mistake, calmly finishing off a pass from Maxi Nzengeli to extend the lead to 2-0. The goal was Mzize’s second of the tournament.

Young Africans continued to dominate proceedings and created several more opportunities, but lapses in concentration in the final third prevented them from increasing the score line.

Mzize, along with playmaker Pacome Zouzoua, often found themselves tightly marked by Singida’s resilient right-back Ande Koffi, who frustrated their attacking moves with solid defensive work.

As the match wore on, tensions flared with multiple fouls committed on both sides. Referee Ahmed Arajiga was forced to intervene on several occasions, issuing yellow cards to Abuya and Aucho. In the 86th minute, Singida’s Sowah was shown a second yellow card followed by a red, reducing his team to 10 men.

The final whistle sparked wild celebrations from the Young Africans players and fans alike as the Jangwani Street giants lifted the Federation Cup for the fourth consecutive season. Since the competition’s reintroduction in the 2015 - 2016 season, Young Africans have now won it a record five times.

Mzize was named the Man of the Match for his standout performance and was awarded a cheque worth TSh 2 million.

With this victory, Hamdi has not only cemented his position as a successful head coach at Young Africans but has also earned the admiration of the club’s supporters, who are already looking forward to more glory in the upcoming season.