Dar es Salaam. As one of the teams battling relegation, Coastal Union from Tanga face a daunting task today, April 7, 2025, at the KMC Complex in Mwenge as they take on defending champions and current league leaders, Yanga SC.
Yanga welcome the “Wagosi wa Kaya” while sitting atop the NBC Premier League table with 61 points, having scored an impressive 61 goals.
Nearly half of those goals have come from their deadly trio upfront Pacome Zouzoua (7 goals), Clement Mzize, and Prince Dube, both of whom have netted 11 times each.
Together, Mzize and Dube have played a key role in Yanga’s victories, contributing not just with goals but also by constantly threatening opposition defenses.
In comparison, their closest rivals Simba SC have managed a combined 29 goals through Charles Jean Ahoua (12), Steven Mukwala (9), and Leonel Ateba (8)—just one more than Yanga’s duo.
Under Algerian head coach Miloud Hamdi, Yanga have enjoyed a strong winning streak.
Since his arrival, they’ve won five consecutive matches after an opening draw with JKT Tanzania.
The victories came against KMC (6-1), Singida BS (2-1), Mashujaa (5-0), Pamba Jiji (3-0), and Tabora United (3-0).
This run has established Yanga as the most dangerous side currently, averaging three goals per game under Hamdi.
The coach noted, “What we are building now is a culture of winning. Every match is a new opportunity to learn and improve.”
Coastal Union, on the other hand, are in a tough spot.
The team has failed to win any of their last seven matches drawing four and losing three.
In that period, they have scored just once while conceding seven goals, clearly illustrating the gulf in class between them and Yanga.
Despite the odds, head coach Juma Mwambusi remains optimistic: “We respect Yanga as a strong team, but football is not mathematics.”
“We have prepared to close down dangerous spaces and capitalize on the few chances we’ll get.”
Coastal Union’s defense, marshaled by goalkeeper Fales Gama, with Miraji Abdallah and Ali Abubakar on the flanks and Ally Msangi and Lameck Lawi at the center, has conceded 25 goals in 24 matches—an average of one per game.
Currently, Coastal sit 12th on the league table with 25 points.
Failure to get a positive result could drag them deeper into the relegation battle, making this match all the more critical for their survival hopes.
Facing a league heavyweight like Yanga is no easy task, but Mwambusi believes that hard work and discipline can make a difference.
Historically, Yanga have dominated this fixture in recent seasons.
In the last nine encounters since October 2020, Yanga have won eight times, with Coastal managing just one victory.
Earlier this season, on October 26, 2024, Yanga secured a narrow 1-0 win away from home.
Last season on April 27, 2024, they again won 1-0, and the first-leg clash on November 8, 2023 also ended 1-0 in Yanga’s favor.
In 2022, Yanga recorded comprehensive victories 3-0 and 2-0 repeating the same in another set of fixtures.
Coastal’s only win came on March 4, 2021, when they triumphed 2-1, before Yanga responded with a 3-0 victory on October 3, 2020.
This track record not only gives Yanga a psychological edge but also heaps pressure on Coastal, who will need to be tactically sharp and mentally strong to break a dominance that has lasted nearly four seasons.
This season, Yanga have shown a strong balance between offense and defense.
They’ve conceded just nine goals in 23 matches averaging a goal every two games.
Today’s match will serve as another tactical test for Hamdi, who is eyeing another three points to stretch their lead over Simba SC from four to seven.
On the flip side, Coastal Union will be hoping for at least a point to boost their chances of survival.
Their fate may depend on matches like this against the league leaders.
