Make or break for Yanga, Azam

IT is another derby day today between reigning champions, Young Africans and second placed Azam FC, as they engage in a top of the table clash at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam this evening.

For both sides, this will be a make or break encounter because any slip up will dent either’s hope in a race for Mainland Premier League silverware.

With both sides looking at having an opportunity to steal a match against the other in the league’s title race, today’s fixture will certainly be a mouthwatering deadly battle, which is expected to draw the roadmap to the title this season.

Yanga are keen to take another step closer to a second league title in a row, while their closer competitor Azam will be seeking for a win to bolster their position in the title race.

The two sides are tied on 46 points, with Yanga in the lead due to goal difference advantage after playing 19 games each. The importance of today’s encounter lie in the fact that it may serve as a decider on who would be crowned the new league champions after the end of this season, much as it may perhaps be too early to say that.

However, the fact still remains that whoever wins today, it would be a morale booster to such a team to remain rooted and fixed in the league top end.

What also makes this derby a mouth-watering encounter is the fact that both are the country’s representatives in the continental clubs championships.

Yanga and Azam have first round assignments in the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup respectively but due to the importance of today’s match, they seem to have put a lot of weight in the game and not letting the continental assignments drift their attention for the game.

The two sides have met four times this season in various competitions, whereby Azam won 5-3 on penalties in the CECAFA Kagame Cup quarterfinal clash after the match ended 0-0 in regulation time.

Yanga revenged by winning 8-7 on penalties in the Community Shield match after the match had ended in a barren draw in regulation time. They fought to a 1-1 draw in Mapinduzi Cup early this year.

In the league first round match they also fought to a 1-1 draw with Azam levelling matters through their Ivorian striker, Kipre Tchetche, cancelling Donald Ngoma’s goal.

In the match, Zimbabwean midfielder Thabani Kamusoko missed a penalty, which was saved by goalkeeper Aishi Manula. With their key striker Ngoma expected to feature in the match after returning back from Zimbabwe, the defending champions will be focused on downsizing the closer competitor’s in the title race by making sure they grab the three crucial points to open a three-point gap between them.

Azam, who squandered their chance to take over the league top seat after being forced to a barren draw by Tanzania Prisons in their previous game will also come full throttle to take the drivers seat.

The ‘ice cream makers’ attacking force will depend on their captain John Bocco, Kipre Tchetche and youngster Farid Musa, who will be given the task to finish their opponents.

Any draw in a game today, will provide an opportunity for Simba to leap to the top of the table if they so win their game against Mbeya City at the same venue tomorrow.

Simba sit third on the log just a point behind the top two, meaning the title race is current wide open for the top three clubs and any of them could clinch the title depending on their performance in their remaining matches.

Other matches lined up for the day are Mtibwa Sugar versus Coastal Union in Turiani, Morogoro and Mwadui FC will welcome JKT Ruvu who are at the bottom of the league at their Mwadui Complex in Shinyanga.

Tanzania Prison will host Stand United in Mbeya, Toto African plays with Ndanda FC at the CCM Kirumba Stadium in Mwanza and African Sports will face Majimaji FC at the Mkwakwani Stadium, while Mgambo JKT will be the guest of Kagera Sugar at the Ali Hassan Mwinyi Stadium in Tabora.