MICHEZO

IT is Simba versus Young Africans day, the greatest rivalry in Mainland Premier League football, as the giants clash at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam this evening.
The day, once again bring the biggest action in the Vodacom Premier League (VPL) calendar and already, there is a lot of excitement ahead of the big match. The match will be handled by Fifa badge referee, Israel Nkongo from Dar es Salaam. He will be assisted by Josephat Bulali from Tanga, Ferdinand Chacha from Mwanza and the fourth official will be Soud Lila from Dar es Salaam.
The match commissar will be Charles Mchau from Kilimanjaro. Going into the match today, there is no clear favourite between Premier League defending champions Yanga and archrivals Simba.
After bagging in consecutive victories in the opening three games, the country’s football giants Yanga and Simba square up, with both camps overly optimistic thanks to their brilliant start to the season.
Holders Yanga go into the match at the National Stadium in a buoyant mood after cruising to comfortable wins over Coastal Union 2-0, Tanzania Prisons 3-0 and JKT Ruvu 4-1.
The run puts Hans van der Pluijm’s men ahead of the chasing park courtesy of their superior goal difference ratio. Simba have equally kicked off their campaign on a sound note, winning three out of three to stay second on the log.
The Reds, under the tutelage of Briton tactician Dylan Kerr, grind out consecutive 1-0 win over Africans Sports and Mgambo JKT before recording a resounding 3-1 win against Kagera Sugar.
With favourable results from their opening fixtures, most expect today’s encounter to be one of the closest-fought affairs pitting the two teams. Going by their recent form, both sides have very strong reasons to win in today’s encounter that includes collecting further points.
For Yanga, a victory today would not only send a strong message to their archrivals that they want to reverse the suffering they went through in the last three seasons through string of defeats at the hands of their archrivals. But will also assure their fans who have witnessed their team win almost everything, except suffer under their archrivals.
Therefore, the only way that Yanga can assure their fans that they are no longer the whipping boys they had been reduced to by their archrivals is at least to win today. For Simba, this season is special as the club management has vowed to win the title that eluded them for the past three seasons.
Much as Simba have dominated all matches against their archrivals, Yanga, but their prestige as one of the country’s soccer giants have for the past three seasons been dented by their failure to represent Tanzania in either of the continental clubs tournaments on account of their failure to win either of the two, top spots in the VPL.
And a win against Yanga today will only signify Simba’s determination to reclaim their dominant figure. Ahead of the highly-anticipated clash, both clubs decided to cruise to Zanzibar to set up camp. Simba settled in their usual camp in Unguja, while their rivals proceeded to Pemba. Yanga captain Nadir Haroub is said to have picked a late injury and he might miss today’s match.
Early this week, Haroub said they cannot afford to lose to Simba at this moment and has told his former teammate Hamisi Kiiza that he should brace for a tough ride today. The Ugandan striker has spoken of his intent to help Simba overcome Yanga, revealing that he would fancy scoring against his former employers. Both teams have new players that would feature in the country’s biggest derby for the first time.
Yanga have the likes of Mwinyi Hajji, Donald Ngoma, Deus Kaseke, Thabani Kamusoko, Godfrey Mwashiuya, among others. Similarly, Simba have Vincent De Paul Angban, Emery Nimubona, Samih Hajji Nuhu, Peter Mwalyanzi and Justice Majabvi. Meanwhile, Musa Hassan ‘Mgosi’ and Mwinyi Kazimoto, who have returned to the club this season, will be readying to feature in the derby once again.
Other matches today will be between Coastal Union of Tanga and Mwadui FC at the Mkwakwani Stadium in Tanga, Tanzania Prisons will play host to Mgambo Shooting at the Sokoine Memorial Stadium in Mbeya.
JKT Ruvu will welcome Stand united at the Karume Memorial Stadium in Dar es Salaam, while Mtibwa Sugar will face Songea’s Majimaji at the Manungu grounds in Turiani, Morogoro. Other match today will see Kagera Sugar confronting Toto Africans at the Ali Hassan Mwinyi Stadium in Tabora.