Gamondi: Squad rotation paid off well

DAR ES SALAAM: YOUNG Africans Head Coach, Miguel Gamondi, has celebrated his squad rotation strategy following a resounding 4-0 victory over newly promoted Pamba Jiji in their latest Premier League clash.

In a match characterised by dynamic play and clinical finishing, Yanga showcased the depth of their squad, allowing several lesser-used players to step into the limelight. Gamondi expressed satisfaction with the performance of the players, highlighting the importance of squad rotation for both team depth and morale, saying it paid well.

“We were pleased with the opportunity to rotate the squad, offering some of the lesser-seen players a chance to shine,” Gamondi said after the-match.

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“It’s always good to see players who do not get regular minutes step up when given the opportunity, like in this match against Pamba Jiji. I am happy with how they performed.” In addition to discussing squad rotation, Gamondi noted the importance of scoring an early goal to unsettle Pamba Jiji, who came prepared to thwart Yanga’s pressing game.

Gamondi acknowledged that he anticipated Pamba would adopt a defensive playing style, so he devised a more effective strategy to counter their approach, which ultimately proved successful.

“Our objective was clear from the start; we wanted to get an early goal and maintain pressure on our opponents throughout the match. The plan was to dominate possession and control the pace with our style of play. “Pamba aimed to limit our scoring opportunities by defending deep.

However, we’ve been working on this in our training sessions. Our focus has been on learning how to unlock and break down these defensive setups, especially when teams sit back to absorb pressure,” Gamondi noted.

On his part Pamba Jiji Assistant Coach, Henry Mkanwa, expressed his disappointment following their loss, pointing out that their game plan was severely disrupted after one of their players received a red card.

“Our strategy going into the match was to remain compact and organised in defence while looking for opportunities to counterattack. We knew that Yanga would come at us aggressively, and our plan was to frustrate them by maintaining a low block and minimising their goal-scoring chances.

“Everything changed once we went a man down due to the red card. Playing with 10 men against Yanga is always challenging. We struggled to fill in the gaps, and naturalise the game. In result Yanga took advantage of the space to earn the win,” he noted.