Interview: Coach Gamondi reveals Young Africans' ambition in TotalEnergies CAF Champions League

After securing an impressive 4-0 win in the first leg, Yanga is looking to advance to the next round and ultimately surpass last season’s quarter-final finish. 

Ahead of this crucial encounter at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, Cafonline.com had the exclusive opportunity to sit down with Yanga's head coach, Miguel Ángel Gamondi. 

In this candid interview, Gamondi discusses his team's morale, strategies, and aspirations for the current TotalEnergies CAF Champions League campaign. 

Below are the key insights from the interview with coach Gamondi:

A: We are very good, the morale is up. It's very important, even when you play away, to score goals. We scored enough goals, which is very good for us. But we continue in this way. We have only one way to play, which is to try to win the game. Even though we’ve taken a big step towards qualifying for the next stage, we must stay focused at home.

A: It will be very important. We will play very seriously, trying to secure this qualification for the first round. For sure, we always need to adjust something, improve, and do something new as well. We need to surprise the other team. We've studied this team much better now. We know their strengths and weaknesses, and we will try to exploit those.

A: Much better than the first leg. I think Vital’O is a good team. They play with a low block, try to hold the ball, and reduce our spaces. Their strengths and weaknesses are similar to what we saw in the first leg. But I expect them to come out stronger, as they’ll want to improve on their performance.

A: When you lose in this way, you want revenge. I think they will come out stronger, trying to show a better image for their club and country. This gives us confidence and energy. For us, it's very important to have the crowd behind us, especially since our fans, Wananchi, are so supportive.

A: Even when the team isn't performing well or if we concede a goal, the fans are always behind us. There’s no negative pressure from them. It's very motivating to play with a full house. Yes, we have a few injuries, but overall, we are in good shape. Our fitness levels are good, and I believe we can recover quickly.

A: There are a few players with minor injuries, but we have a strong and large squad that can replace them. Our will to succeed in Africa is strong. We want to elevate Young Africans to the top level of continental competition, and we have the teamwork and support to achieve that.

A: The management of the club, especially our fans, played a big role. We learned a lot from that experience. We faced teams like Al Ahly, CR Belouizdad, and Mamelodi Sundowns—some of the biggest teams on the continent—and we competed face to face. It was a very rich experience.

A: We realized that we are on the same level as the top teams and can compete. Our goal was to compete at the highest level in Africa, and we did that. Now, it's much more important to believe in ourselves. We have the will to succeed and to go as far as we can in this Champions League. It’s possible to improve our performance, but we will take it step by step.

A: The first step is to qualify for the group stage, but we are hungry for more. We want to succeed and are confident in what we can achieve. It's our will, our wish, and our philosophy to try to win and go as far as possible. We need to be united—fans, management, technical staff, and players—as a team.

A: Yes, I believe we can go further. It’s all about our mindset and having a winning mentality. The players must believe, just as we believe, that we can reach the top level in Africa. But we must stay grounded. Football can be cruel sometimes, so we must be ready for everything.

A: Believe in us and continue to support us like never before. Thank you.