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Tanzanian top side Young Africans (Yanga) SC’s Malawian assistant coach Patrick ‘General’ Mabedi has said he is proud to have guided the side to the group stage of the 2025/26 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League. The Citizens sailed through after ousting Silver Strikers 2-1 on aggregate following a 1-0 second preliminary round loss in Lilongwe in the first leg before upsetting the tables with a 2-0 victory in the return leg at home in Dar es Salaam on Saturday. Mabedi was thrown in at the deep end after Yanga dismissed their immediate-past head coach Romain Folz of France following the first leg loss, leaving the former Flames captain to pick up the pieces as interim coach. In an interview on Saturday evening, the former Flames captain said: “It means a lot to me. This is a big team and remember we were one goal down going into this match. “There was an awful lot of expectation and it was important for us to win and qualify for the group stages.” Meanwhile, the Tanzanian champions have hired Portuguese Pedro Valdemar Soares Gonçalves as their new head coach, replacing Folz. The former Angola National Football Team coach, who guided the Neglas Palancas to the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations finals, has brought along his two compatriots as assistant coaches. But Mabedi said the hiring of the two assistant coaches will not affect him. “Remember I have a contract,” he said. Reacting to the exit from the elite African club tourney, Silver head coach Etson Kadenge Mwafulirwa said: “The game was okay. We started well, our build-up was good, but we struggled in the third quarter. “Then we conceded a goal, but we came stronger in the second half. Despite the defeat, the future looks bright, the boys have shown strong potential.” To qualify for the second preliminary round, Silver booted out Malagasy side Elgeco Plus on away goal rule after playing out a one-all draw away before a goalless draw in the return leg. On the other hand, Yanga ousted Angolan side Williete 5-0 on aggregate following a 3-0 win away and a 2-0 victory at home.
