Tanzanian football juggernauts Simba and Young Africans ready for Kariakoo derby

Simba and Yanga prepare for battle

JOHANNESBURG, November 5 (ANA) – The Kariakoo derby will take centre stage on Saturday as Simba and Young Africans clash at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, Dar es Salaam, in the Tanzanian Premier League.

This is the fourth meeting between both sides this calendar year, with each team having won once and drawing the third encounter.

Yanga, as Young Africans are known, enjoyed a perfect start in the Tanzanian league, having won seven times and drew twice in their nine fixtures, while their rivals Simba lost twice in the same number of matches.

The match was rescheduled from October 18 to November 7to give both teams enough time to prepare.

Hosts Yanga will be looking to avenge their4-1 loss when both sides last met in the FA Cup semi-final in July.

Yanga Burundian trainer Cedric Kaze believes his side is in good shape to overcome champions Simba but acknowledges that the game will be tough for both teams.

“We had some tough away fixtures, but we managed to come out with seven points out of nine. I believe that we are in a good shape for the derby,” said Kaze, who guided Yanga to three victories and one draw in his four games in charge since his appointment last month.

“It will not be an easy match. Our target is to win all our games, and this derby is very important,” he added.

Meanwhile, Yanga captain Deus Kaseke believes his side is well prepared to face Simba.

“The derby is always tough. It is very different from all the games that we have played so far. I believe that we have prepared well for it, and the best team will win,” he said.

Despite losing two of their last four games, Simba still believe they are in good shape and well organised to face their arch rivals Yanga.

Simba captain, Shomary Kapombe said every player likes to feature in the derby, and that his side is ready for it, with their main target being the three points to close the gap with the teams on top of the table.

“This is the derby, and every player wants to play. We are ready for it. We understand that Yanga is a good team, but we will take this game very seriously to win,” Kapombe said. – African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Michael Sherman