Former Champions Simba will be out to close gap with league leaders Azam FC and rivals Young Africans, when they take on Mtibwa Sugar in a tricky Mainland Premier League encounter at the Jamhuri Stadium in Morogoro on Wednesday.
The day will also see struggling JKT Oljoro of Arusha confronting Rhino Rangers at the Ali Hassan Mwinyi Stadium in Tabora, while Mgambo JKT will play host to Ruvu Shooting at the Mkwakwani Stadium in Tanga.
However, much of the attention will be at the Jamhuri Stadium in Morogoro where fourth placed Simba will be chasing the rest of the pack at the top of the table.
Simba, comprehensively thumped JKT Oljoro 4-0 at the National Stadium on Saturday to reach 30 points and temporarily closed the gap with the league leaders to three points and at least for 24 hours, they were only two points adrift of their rivals Yanga.
However, they saw that gap widen the following day, when both Azam and Yanga won their respective matches. Azam beat Kagera Sugar 4-0 to maintain their grip of the driver’s seat on 36 points, while Yanga sneaked out 1-0 winners against Mbeya City to post 35 points.
And Simba who started the second phase of the league with a narrow 1-0 win over Tabora’s Rhino Rangers will also definitely be in a hunt for their third consecutive win today so as to build up well their title race campaign.
Simba’s victory on Wednesday will not dislodge Mbeya City from the third place and cut points gap with leaders Azam to three.
Ahead of the usually adrenaline-fuelled affair with Mtibwa Sugar, Croatian coach Zdravko Logarusic will have to ensure that his charges are at their best to record any meaningful results against the Morogoro based side in a match to be officiated by Jonisia Rukyaa from Bukoba.
Burundian striker Amisi Tambwe is once again expected to lead Simba’s frontline partnering with deadly wingers, Ramadhani Singano and Haroun Chanongo. Tambwe scored a hat-trick last Saturday, which was sandwiched by Jonas Mkude’s stunner.
It was a second hat-trick for the Burundian international, who reclaimed the top spot in scoring chart and intensified race for the ‘golden boot’ with 13 goals so far. His first was against Tanga’s Mgambo JKT when he scored four goals. Azam FC’s Ivory Coast striker, Kipre Tchetche is second in the goal scoring chart with ten goals so far.
Behind Tambwe, ‘Loga’ is expected to field veteran attacking midfielder, Amri Kiemba, who has proved to be a main driving force for Simba in the past few seasons.
Betram Mwombeki could be another option in the attacking line up but the form of the former Pamba FC hit-man has been a major concern among the Msimbazi Street faithful and especially coach Loga.
The stilt walker striker sat on the bench against JKT Oljoro after failing to impress coach Logarusic and was withdrawn from the game against Rhino Rangers just 20 minutes after being introduced in the second half. Striker Ally Badru is also available for selection.
And as usual, the midfield will be packed with Jonas Mkude, Said Ndemla, Awadh Juma and Henry Joseph.
Simba should expect a stiff resistance from Mtibwa Sugar, who will be led by experienced midfielder, Shaaban Nditi and striker Musa Hassan ‘Mgosi’, who has vowed to turn the tables against his former employer.
On Thursday, JKT Ruvu will face Ashanti United at Azam Complex in Chamazi, Dar es Salaam.
Source Tanzania Daily News
