Rukyaa Handed Yanga, Simba Derby

Dar es Salaam — As fans are counting down the hours to Saturday's Simba-Yanga much-anticipated derby, the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) has announced that a female referee with Fifa budge from Kagera region, Jonesia Rukyaa will be the centre referee.

The country's governing soccer body has also announced the pricing ticket for the duel to be played at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam whereby the lowest entrance will be Sh7,000.

Rukyaa is one of the a few female referees in the country recognised by Fifa.

She also officiate the two giant sides in the so-called Nani Mtani Jembe (non-league match) in 2014 that resulted to 2-0 infavour of Simba.

She will be assisted by Josephat Burali of Tanga and Samuel Mpenzu of Arusha.

The substitute referee of the Mainland Vodacom Premier Leaque match will be Elly Sasii of Dar es Salaam as the match commissioner will be Khalid Bitebo.

According to the TFF information officer, Baraka Kizuguto, preparations for the match are going well smoothly, adding that tickets will be on sale a day before the kick- off at different city outlets.

As the lowest entrance will be Sh7,000 for blue and green seats, the highest entrance fee will be Sh30,000 for VIP A, while Sh20,000 will be for VIP B and C.

Sh10,000 will be for orange seats. Already Simba and Yanga are in 'hide outs' to prepare for the encounter. Yanga, under Dutch coach, Hans Plujim are in Pemba islands to fine tune while their traditional rivals, Simba are in Morogoro.

What makes the derby more entertaining is that the two sides are closely fighting in the table, with just two points difference.

Simba, who are boasting of their seven consecutive league wins, are on top with 45 points, two adrift Yanga.

Apart from the rivals' battle, the league will see other five matches on the menu.

The former champions, Azam FC, who slipped to Coastal Union in their 1-0 first league defeat, will face hosts Mbeya City at Sokoine Stadium.

Stand United, who are at 7th position with 29 points from 18 matches, will face trailing JKT Ruvu (with 14 points) in Shinyanga.

Ninenth placed Toto Africans with 21 points will meet 13th placed v Kagera Sugar (16 points) in Mwanza.

Mgambo Shooting ( at 11th position with 17 points) will confront fifth place Tanzania Prisons with 30 points in Tanga.

Second from bottom, Majimaji FC (16 points) will have a date against fourth placed Mtibwa Sugar (33 points) in Songea.