THE Tanzania Mainland Premier League schedule has undergone a slight adjustment, placing Young Africans SC (Yanga) back into domestic action earlier than originally planned. The club, fresh from its CAF Champions League assignment in Algeria, will now face Fountain Gate FC tomorrow, December 4, at the KMC Complex in Mwenge from 4:00 p.m.

Originally, Young Africans were scheduled to travel to Mbeya for a league clash against Tanzania Prisons on December 2. However, the Tanzania Premier League Board (TPLB) revised the fixture list to accommodate the tight schedules of teams representing the country in continental competitions. As a result, the away match has been shelved temporarily, with Young Africans instructed to resume league duty at home on Thursday.

 Young Africans touched down in Dar es Salaam earlier this week after securing a valuable goalless draw against JS Kabylie in their second CAF Champions League group stage match. It was a result that boosted their continental campaign, especially coming on North African soil, where the club has historically struggled.

 Following their return, the players were granted a short rest period to recover from the long trip before regrouping for domestic commitments. The squad is expected to be back on the training ground today as coach Pedro Gonçalves begins preparations for the important league fixture against Fountain Gate.

 Tomorrow’s encounter will mark coach Goncalves’ third Premier League match in charge since officially taking over Young Africans’ technical bench. His first two league outings brought encouraging results, with the defending champions registering victories over Mtibwa Sugar and KMC FC. The strong start has given the Portuguese tactician an early sense of momentum within the domestic campaign.

 After four matches played so far this season, Young Africans have collected 10 points, winning three and drawing one. They remain firmly in contention as they seek to defend their Premier League title while balancing the demands of continental football.

 The fixture reshuffle means Young Africans will no longer travel to Mbeya this week. Instead, they will host Fountain Gate FC before hitting the road for a weekend league match against Coastal Union. Coastal are scheduled to host Young Africans at a neutral venue after their home ground, Mkwakwani Stadium in Tanga, was temporarily closed due to administrative reasons.

 Following the Thursday evening match at KMC Complex, the Premier League will continue with another round of fixtures on December 7 - the last set of matches to be played this year. The league will then pause to allow national team preparations and participation in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which begins on December 21 and runs through January 18. Tanzania’s Taifa Stars will feature in the continental tournament for the fourth time in the nation's history.

 TPLB Communications Officer Karim Boimanda (pictured) confirmed the schedule changes, emphasizing that the objective was to create adequate recovery time for clubs involved in international competitions.

 “Yes, the fixtures have been adjusted, and we communicated earlier that changes were necessary because of the demanding schedules faced by our teams representing Tanzania internationally,” Boimanda explained.

 “Yanga arrived on Monday from Algeria, and Simba on Tuesday. We saw it best to grant both teams two days of rest before they resume their Premier League duties.”

 Boimanda noted that the board is committed to ensuring fairness and maintaining the quality of the league, especially at a time when Tanzanian clubs are competing on multiple fronts.

 With continental duties paused for now, the focus returns squarely to maintaining form in the league. Thursday’s game offers Young Africans a chance to extend their unbeaten run, strengthen their title defense, and give Goncalves another opportunity to fine-tune his team ahead of a busy December schedule.

 Fountain Gate, known for their structured play and high energy, are expected to provide a competitive test as they look to climb the league table. But with a buoyant squad returning from a crucial Champions League point away from home, Young Africans head into the fixture with confidence and momentum.