Will today's CAF CC duel be coach Nabi's last match on Yanga's bench?

Football fanatics can anticipate the famous introduction in a club statement announcing that both sides have reached an agreement to part ways.

If he needs to continue in his position, then Yanga will have to do wonders in Tunisia by defeating Club Africain in a rematch of the 2022/23 CAF Confederation Cup Additional Second Preliminary Round to qualify for the showpiece's group stage.

Why does the Jangwani Street side need miracles? Well, it would be amazing should the club come out victorious in the encounter versus the Tunisian opponents.

In Yanga's last three competent international matches, I mean against Al Hilal SC at home and away, and then the last match against Tunisian club, Yanga managed to score only one goal thanks to goal-getter Fiston Mayele's efforts.

In the following match against Club Africain, Yanga could not score a goal.

Is the challenge arising from either Yanga's bluntness or the opponents' quality? Unfortunately, the outfit's fans remain with the second question.

They believe that Yanga is struggling with Nabi's tactics. If there is anything Yanga fans believed at the beginning of the season, it is the notion that they have a team with what it takes to confront either Egypt’s Al Ahly or Wydad Athletic Club of Morocco, let alone Al Hilal SC.

The enthusiasts were heard stating: "The Yanga that each of the outfit's fanatics dream of is here, there is Mayele, Stephane Aziz Ki, Bernard Morrison, and Feisal Salum at either Benjamin Mkapa Stadium or an away stadium, we can beat any team."

Now this story does not exist, Yanga is low in spirit as it seeks to flex its muscles in the second tier of African inter-club competitions.

First, the side has been eliminated from the 2022/23 CAF Champions League and now it closes in on crashing out of the 2022/23 CAF Confederation Cup. All this is in the initial stage.

Earlier this season there were rumours that Nabi might be fired but Yanga cooled the wind after realizing that it would not be right for the squad to part ways with him at the time. The squad needed him in the CAF Confederation Cup matches.

With the current circumstance, it is clear that the situation is difficult for Nabi. When it came to rumours that he could be fired, the club's followers were divided.

In the days after last week's tie between Yanga and Club Africain, the group consisting of the former's fanatics that were backing him has become more divided. They have joined those who did not want him since the results of the Al Hilal SC tie.

Yanga could not play as a team in the continental showdowns' duels, and the club's footballers were moreover not at their best. Goalkeeper Djigui Diarra is so far the side's only footballer that deserves kudos.

Yanga also hardly showcased any urgency to seek good results. They do not play with intensity to get good results. Players like Tuisila Kisinda have been selfish, ignoring the fixtures' importance.

The problem is an outfit cannot get rid of all players, it gets rid of the coach.

Yanga's president Hersi Said and fellow leaders may accept Nabi but the pressure they will get from the outfit's fans will be great and I hardly see anyone who can withstand such pressure, especially if a person considers the leaders are less experienced in leading such an outfit.

Two issues hurt Yanga fanatics, first, their side has already proved its worth by winning the 2021/22 NBC Premier League title.

Much as the club's followers are convinced that it has better players than opponents, it has not managed to excel in continental showdowns.

Their age-old rivals Simba, now sitting second in Premier League, have advanced to the group stage.

But then Yanga enthusiasts remind themselves that winning the domestic top flight top honour is not a big deal.

Yanga had already won the top flight's silverware 27 times before Nabi arrived. The side may appreciate the gaffer for giving them the 28th domestic tournament title but the triumph is not a big headline at Jangwani Street.

In today's globalized world Yanga fanatics want to see their team perform well internationally. People are used to following various European and African outfits that are doing well in domestic and international tournaments, why not Yanga? That is why Yanga's fans are hurting.

What troubles Yanga's fanatics is the way their outfit has been dominating age-old rival Simba domestically in recent years.

How is it that Yanga are better in matches against domestic outfits and then they are lagging in international matches? Yanga followers have started to get tired of this situation.

They believe that the preparations done for their outfit's duels against Simba should as well come to view when the side takes part in international matches.

With this approach, I hardly think Nabi will recover. He will not only be remembered for the domestic top-flight title that Yanga won after Simba had earlier lifted it four times in a row, but also for having catapulted Yanga to victory over Simba in several duels.

Since arriving in the country in April 2021, Nabi has witnessed Yanga suffer a loss to Simba once in the Federation Cup tournament's final in Kigoma but all this will not help him when it comes to international matches.

Wednesday's duel against Club Africain remains one of the most important matches that Nabi has managed in his football career.

I hardly know how he will play his cards but he can get some relief on the pitch if his players are more excited and deliver.

In the first match, Yanga's opponents played defensive football with greater concentration. They kept Yanga's striker Mayele in check and cut off all services that would have reached him.

The Tunisian side's players further were intent on wasting more time, given their players ended up falling for the most part.

Club Africain will play differently at their home turf, they will not either opt for defensive play or theatrically fall.

They will play fast and attack Yanga from the first minute of the game until the last. Yanga will be judged on two aspects, the first of which is their ability to withstand the pressure and quick attacks launched by opponents.

After that, they will be required to respond via making alternating onslaughts. This will be an opportunity for Yanga because they have wingers with speed to start the attacks. The key issue is how to first soak the attacks launched by their opponents.

The results the Tanzanian side recorded at home in the first leg are not bad. The tie ended in a barren draw.

This means that any away result that will witness Yanga score goals will have the outfit make it to the following stage but will the side be able to stop Club Africain from scoring?

And if the Tanzanian outfit can do that, can it get an away goal if the opponent posts a goal?

Nabi and his players can give Tanzania's football followers answers but whatever it is, this is a match that holds the tactician's fate at Yanga.

Any negative result that Yanga will garner will culminate in the expected announcement stating both sides have reached an agreement to part ways.

If a football lover gets such an announcement, then he/she ought to know that someone at the Jangwani Street club has been fired.