CAFCL: Mabedi urges Young Africans not to sit back against Silver Strikers

Young Africans stand-in coach Patrick Mabedi has urged his players to go all out and attack Silver Strikers when the two sides face off in the return leg of the CAF Champions League at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Saturday.

The Tanzanian champions will head into the second preliminary round return leg seeking to overturn a 1-0 defeat suffered away in Malawi a fortnight ago. Speaking ahead of the game, Mabedi said they will not sit back but will go all out to attack for goals.

Young Africans will not defend against Strikers

“Our preparations has been going well since we came from Malawi, though we stayed few days in Malawi due to the flight issues, but we managed to come on Monday, and we had sessions on Tuesday,  we started camping on Tuesday, and so far our camping a seen going well,” Mabedi told Pan-Africa Football.

“The players adapted very well, and they were excited, they showed a lot of energy and they know that they have to do better than they did in Malawi, since we are playing at home here, and the players are looking forward to the game.”

Asked whether he was under pressure heading into the fixture, Mabedi said: “In football, every game there is pressure because you need to deliver, and fortunately I am lucky because I have been working with the team to ease the pressure.

“I think I won’t have any problem handling this pressure because I have seen such pressure before, but the most important thing that we need to do, all of us need to relieve this pressure by doing well tomorrow (Saturday).

“Obviously we played away, and now we are playing at home, so we need to find solution as you know we are 1-0 down, and we have to go out there and change our tactical plan as well, we don’t have time to sit back, we need to attack this team and manage this team.”

The TNM Super League’s defending champions stunned the fancied Yanga at Bingu National Stadium. Yanga did not take the loss lightly they swiftly axed then coach Romain Folz hours after the game.

Malawian assistant coach Mabedi is in charge of Yanga in an interim capacity. Strikers need any draw to book their place in the Champions’ League group stages while Yanga must win at all costs.

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