A THUNDEROUS reception was held for the locomotive new Young Africans midfielder Carlos Fernandes who landed at Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday.
The Angolan player, who is popularly known as Carlinhos met with a big number of Yanga fans immediately after coming out from the arrivals wing of the JNIA and had to be paraded aboard a roof open vehicle.
The march began from the airport all the way to the club’s headquarters at the heart of Kariakoo where the number of welcoming fans tripled, paralysing usual business at the busiest city centre area as fans chanted his name as well as that of GSM.
After entering into the club’s building, Carlinhos changed his top wear and put on Yanga jersey as he climbed on top of the building together with officials of the club to wave at hundreds of people who abandoned their daily activities to give the cordial welcome for the youthful player.
It was another extraordinary welcoming gesture from passionate Yanga supporters similar to the one given to Tuisila Kisinda and Mukoko Tonombe on the day they landed in the country to serve for the one of the oldest clubs in the region.
Prior to his arrival, various social media outlets have been posting video clips of Carlinhos showing off his brilliant skills on the pitch and his abilities to fire long range shots.
Before joining Yanga, he was playing for Angola’s side G.D Interclube and has a big load ahead of him to prove that he is the right player to help the Jangwani Street based club to challenge for the league title next season.
He was the fourth foreign based player to jet in for Yanga as the club awaits one more arrival of striker Yacouba Sogne from Burkina Faso who already penned a two year deal to work for his new team.
According to GSM’s Investment Director Hersi Said, the new coach to succeed ousted Luc Eymael is expected to arrive on Friday and has already been named as Cedric Kaze from Burundi.
Meanwhile, the club has declared entry charges for the climax of ‘SportPesa Wiki ya Mwananchi’ slated on Sunday at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
VIP A will go for 30,000/- while VIP B and C will be accessed by 20,000/- and the ordinary seats are pegged at 5,000/-.
However, for those who will occupy the VVIP will flash out 200,000/- and will be treated to high class services.
Moreover, the club disclosed that Bongo Flavor icon Rajab Kahali ‘Harmonize’ will be a leading singer on the day together with other artistes so as to spice up the annual event before a friendly match against Burundi’s side Aigle Noir.
A call was therefore made to Yanga fans to put on the club’s colours on the day to decorate the 60,000 capacity stadium.
Yanga will begin their next season campaign with a home match taking on Tanzania Prisons on September 6th, which will be the last fixture on the opening day of the oncoming season.