Young Africans SC have retained the Tanzania Premier League title.

Coach Miguel Gamondi’s team brushed a side Mtibwa FC 3-1 in a League match played on Monday at the Manungu Complex in Morogoro to claim the 2023/2024 title.

Charles Ilanfya gave the home side a 1-0 first half lead, but Young Africans SC fought back after recess to score three.

Goals by Kennedy Musonda, an own goal by Nasry Kombo and Clement Nzie were enough to see Young Africans SC collect vital three points.

The win sent Young Africans SC to 71 points with three more matches to play, while Azam FC are second on 60 points and Simba SC third with 57 points.

” I want to thank the players for the hard work. Playing against Mtibwa FC was not an easy match, but am glad the players worked hard and won. It has been a very busy season of hard work and am grateful to the players and management, ” said Gamondi.

The Argentine made it clear that Young Africans SC has what it takes to win several titles and now they will complete the League and other tournaments locally before starting to plan well for next season.

Gamondi also guided Young Africans SC to the quarter final stage of the 2023/2024 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League where they lost 3-2 in penalties to Mamelodi Sundowns FC of South Africa.

Reigning champions Young Africans SC returned to the summit in the Tanzania Premier League after a big 5-1 win against arch-rivals Simba SC in a match played o Sunday.

Zambian international Kennedy Musonda gave Young Africans the lead after only three minutes with a well taken header, but Kibu Denis made it 1-1 after 9 minutes at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

After recess, Young Africans SC returned with more hunger for goals as they dominated play in the midfield to override Simba SC. Maxi Nzengeli scored a brace, while Stephanie Aziz Ki also got his name on the score sheet, and Pacome Zouzoua netted a late penalty.

A happy Young Africans SC coach Miguel Gamondi said it was a good feeling winning in such away against their traditional rivals. “It is the happiest day of my football career,” said coach Gamondi.

Simba SC’s skipper Mohamed Hussein attributed the big loss for their failure to dominate the midfield. The win takes Young Africans SC top of the log with 21 points from eight matches, and 25 goals scored.

Later the Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan congratulated Young Africans SC for the win.

“Congratulations Yanga for the win against Simba in the Mainland Premier League.

Young Africans player in a jovial mood after hammering their arch-rivals Simba SC 5-1 at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Sunday. Your traditional rivalry of over 85 years is a very important part of our entertainment…you bring together in a special way millions of Tanzanians within and outside the country, ” she noted on her X account.

_{Azam FC stopped Simba SC 1-0 in a 2022/2023 NBC Tanzania Premier League match played at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Thursday evening.}

_{Prince Dube netted the lone goal after 35 minutes to hand Simba SC their first defeat after seven matches played.}

_{The Zimbabwean international Dube made a good run on the left and curved the ball past Simba’s advancing goalkeeper Manula.}

_{Simba SC tried to fight back to get goals, but failed to beat the Azam FC defencing line. Few days ago Azam FC parted ways with their French coach Denis Lavagne because of poor results including exiting the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup.}

_{On Wednesday Young Africans SC went top of the log after stopped KMC FC 1-0. Feisal Salum scored the lone goal after 80 minutes. Geita Gold FC also defeated Ruvu Shooting 2-1 to move out of the bottom quarter of the log.}

_{Juma Mahadhi and Burundian international Saidi Ntibazonkiza scored for Geita Gold Fc, while Ablkassim Suleiman netted the only goal for Ruvu Shooting.}

_{Young Africans SC currently top the table with 17 points from 7 matches played, while Mtibwa Sugar FC who have played nine matches are in second place with 15 points. Simba SC are in third place with 14 points from 7 matches played.}

_{Burundian International and former Newcastle United midfielder Gael Bigirimana has joined Tanzania Premier League champions Young Africans SC.}

_{The 28-year old Bigirimana was unveiled on Saturday during the Club Extra General Assembly held in Dar es Salaam.}

_{The General Assembly also ushered in a new President, Eng.Hersi Ally Said who later introduced Bigirimana to the fans.}

_{Bigirimana joins the Tanzanian Premier League champions as a free agent after seeing off his contract with Irish club, Glentoran. Besides Newcastle United, Bigirimana also played for Coventry City FC, United in England, Rangers, Motherwell FC and Hibernian FC in Scotland.}

_{He becomes the third player Young Africans SC have signed as they strengthen their squad ahead of the 2022/2023 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League. Mwamba Kambole and Bernard Morrison are the other players who have been signed.}

_{Meanwhile, another top Tanzania Premier League side Simba SC who reached the quarter final stage of the 2021/2022 TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup have also signed Habibu Kyombo and two foreign players  Moses Phiri (Zambia) and Nigerian Victor Akpan who played for Coastal Union last season.}