Mabedi with Folz ahead of yesterday’s match
* Mabedi was appointed as assistant coach to Folz last Monday to beef up the technical bench ahead of the first leg
* Yanga are reportedly focused on overturning the 0-1 deficit to progress to the Champions League group stage for the third consecutive season
* As well as on salvaging their continental campaign at home, where they will need to win by at least two clear goals to advance
By Duncan Mlanjira
Former Flames’ coach, Patrick Mabedi is now in charge of Tanzania’s Young Africans Sporting Club in preparation for the second leg of the CAF Champions League second preliminary qualifying round after the team fired its head coach Frenchman Romain Folz following their 0-1 loss Silver Strikers in yesterday’s first leg at Bingu National Stadium.
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Mabedi was appointed as assistant coach to Folz last Monday to beef up the technical bench ahead of the first leg and the club issued a statement that the Malawian will temporarily take over as the team prepare for the decisive return leg on October 25 at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
A report by Bizlens quotes the club’s statement as describing the decision as mutual and that the team will be under the assistant Malawian coach while the process of finding a new head coach continues.
The report further indicates that the club’s decision brings to an end Folz’s “turbulent spell, who took charge of Yanga on July 14, 2025, replacing Algerian coach Miloud Hamdi”.
“His appointment was met with cautious optimism from the Yanga faithful, who hoped that his reputation as an analytical and modern coach would bring a new dimension to the club’s continental ambitions.
“However, despite a promising start that saw Yanga lift the Community Shield after edging arch-rivals Simba SC 1–0, Folz’s relationship with sections of the supporters remained uneasy.
The showdown yesterday
“His tactical preferences, including a cautious approach in attack and an overreliance on midfield possession, were often questioned by fans who expected a more fluid and aggressive style from the reigning NBC Premier League champions.
“In his three months in charge, Folz presided over seven competitive matches across all competitions, winning four, drawing one, and losing two,” said the Bizlens, adding that the coach’s early victories against Wiliete SC of Angola in the Champions League first preliminary round and Pamba Jiji in the domestic league gave the impression of a stable beginning.
Quoting club insiders, the report indicates that discussions regarding Folz’s future “had been ongoing for days, with mounting pressure from both supporters and senior officials following a perceived stagnation in the team’s attacking efficiency”.
“The defeat in Malawi reportedly accelerated those talks, leading to a swift and conclusive decision by the club’s hierarchy to part ways. While the statement emphasised mutual consent, sources within the club hinted that the decision was primarily performance-driven.”
The report describes Silver Strikers as “a side that had barely advanced past the previous round on away goals” and that this was “a missed opportunity for Yanga, who were favourites to progress”.
But Silver Strikers proved otherwise yesterday — securing a vital 1-0 home win through a 75th-minute strike from Andrew Joseph, who finished off a well-orchestrated counterattack after combining neatly with midfielder Uchizi Vunga.
Bizlens takes cognizance that Yanga struggled to find rhythm throughout the game despite several substitutions, and that “for a club with continental ambitions and a demanding fan base, the result was more than a setback — it became the catalyst for immediate change.
A report by Silver Strikers Media indicates that the match started on high note as Yanga looked to find the back of the net early in the first twenty minutes of the match but the plan did not go well as the Bankers’ defence of Nickson Mwase and Maxwell Paipi was solid.
At 28 minutes, Silver Strikers was close to taking the lead when a long ball was thrown forward towards Stanie Davie, who headed it down for Andrew Joseph, but was overpowered by the guests’ defense, denying him a goal.
The game went to recess goalless and at the break, Zebron Kalima was taken out for Ernest Petro, who made a quick impact to the game, helping the team move forward as he engaged in attack mode several times in search of a goal.
In the 55th minute, Petro surged forward and spotted Stanie Davie, who played a diagonal ball towards goal, but Andrew Joseph’s effort was blocked.
The Bankers continued to stage counterattacks through Petro, Nickson Mwase McDonald Lameck and Stanie Davie until at 75 minutes, they took the lead as Andrew Joseph scored the lone goal after being set up by Petro.
To advance to the second preliminary round, Silver Strikers narrowly defeated Elgeco Plus FC of Madagascar after drawing 1-1 away in Mauritius and playing to a goalless draw at Bingu National Stadium.
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Silver Strikers Media quotes coach Etson Kadenge Mwafulirwa as sayingthe game is not yet over: “We have won and we are happy but we are facing a good team and we know the job is not done yet. Going into the second leg we will play to attack as the best way to defend is to attack, we will go back and prepare for this match.”
Yanga, who are Tanzania’s league champions, are reportedly focused on overturning the 0-1 deficit to progress to the Champions League group stage for the third consecutive season — as well as on “salvaging their continental campaign at home, where they will need to win by at least two clear goals to advance”.
“The players are expected to regroup under Mabedi’s guidance, with the club hoping to avoid the kind of instability that has previously disrupted their rhythm in crucial continental fixtures,” said the Bizlens report.
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