Zanzibar — Young Africans were crowned Mapinduzi Cup champions after edging rivals Azam FC 5-4 on penalties following a tense, goalless final played at Gombani Stadium in Pemba, Zanzibar.
The match burst into life from the opening whistle, with a high tempo and heavy physical battles setting the tone. Within the first five minutes, five fouls had already been committed, as both sides tested each other's defence with early forward runs.
Azam mounted a dangerous attack in the sixth minute, but the move was well dealt with, while Celestine Ecua showed his pace three minutes later, only for his final pass to be cleared.
Yanga looked lively down the right flank in the opening stages, with Ecua making several promising runs, though his delivery lacked precision. Yanga came close in the 15th minute when Pacome threaded a neat pass to Maxi Nzengeli, whose fine cross found Prince Dube inside the box, but the striker blazed his effort over the bar.
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Azam goalkeeper Aishi Manula often went long to push his side higher up the pitch, but the coordination in Azam's forward line was inconsistent, allowing Yanga's defence to recover.
Also read: Azam FC, Yanga set for epic Mapinduzi Cup final showdown
Despite moments of danger, including a long-range effort from Ecua and a series of freekicks taken by Pacome, neither side could break the deadlock before half-time, with Manula producing a fine save late in the first half to deny Pacome.
The second half opened with renewed intensity, and Azam showed greater determination, combining better in midfield and pushing Yanga deeper.
However, discipline issues crept in, with Azam picking up yellow cards and later being reduced to 10 men when Cheickna Diakité received a second booking in the 73rd minute. Yanga dominated possession after the dismissal and created several chances, but Manula remained outstanding, producing a string of saves, including a brilliant stop from a close-range header by Dickson Job.
At fulltime, the score remained 0-0, forcing the final into extra time. Extra time saw Yanga camped in Azam's half, but clear-cut chances were scarce.
Drama peaked late on when Azam conceded a penalty, only for Manula to redeem himself with a superb save from Pacome, sending the match to a shoot-out. In the decisive penalty shootout, Yanga held their nerve, converting all five spot-kicks through Emmanuel Mwanengo, Dube, Pacome, Mudathir and the winning penalty by Bakari Mwamnyeto.
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Azam scored four penalties through Omary Said, Twalibu Nuru, Sadio Kanoute and Peter Kamanya, while Landry Zouzou's penalty was saved by goalkeeper Aboutwalib Mshery. Yanga's composure from the spot sealed a hard-fought victory and crowned them champions on a historic night at Gombani Stadium.
