The tension is high as Yanga host Simba, in one of Tanzania’s most-watched Dar-es-Salaam match, the Kariakoo Derby at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.
It is D-Day and the wait is over. The time is here for the Tanzanian giants to face-off in a match for the one to claim derby boasting rights.
The Kariakoo Derby was initially set for October 18, 2020, but re-scheduled, therefore, Yanga host Simba today, Saturday, November 7th, 2020, to play the only game in hand left that will have all team matched at 10 games played. In their past 6 premier league meetings, they have drawn three times, Yanga has won only once and Simba has won twice.
In the FA Cup last season, the two rivals contended in the semi-final and Simba won 4-1. So, on paper, Simba has the edge over Yanga but we cannot say they will win this. Football is unpredictable more so when it comes to such games.
Yanga who stand 2nd on the table with 23 points need a win from this match so that they top the table and also gain a sizable lead against their traditional rival. Simba need this win to close the 4 points gap they trail behind Yanga.
The pressure is on in a battle between Wekundu Wa Msimbazi’s head coach, The Belgian Sven Vandenbroeck and Burundian Tactician Kaze Cedrick on the side of the Jangwani team. Will this Kariakoo Derby be the real test for coach Kaze in his first derby match as Yanga head coach or a mounting pressure for Vandenbroeck who is trailing 4 pts behind his rival?
Yanga boast an impressive 92% winning form compared to Simba’s 67% winning form owing to the two games they lost. Simba is back to winning ways in their last 2 fixtures were they beat Mwadui 5-0 and Kagera Sugar 2-0, both games played at home. Yanga on the other hand, in their last two fixtures, has registered a goalless draw against Gwambina and won 1-0 against Biashara, both games played away.
Simba has proved that they can spot the goal better than rivals Yanga with a better goal difference and also has two players in the current top 10 scorer chart, captain John BOCCO and striker Meddie Kagere.
Key players for Simba including, Meddie Kagere and Gerson Fraga both with a knee injury, Clatous Chota Chama, Chris Mugalu (doubtful) and Bernald Morrison who is suspended will not feature in today’s match.
And for Yanga, Carlos Carlinhos got injured during training and also Haruna Niyonzima who is back at home in Rwanda will not feature in today’s match.
Tanzania Premier League Board (TPLB) earlier confirmed that the Kariakoo Derby will be officiated by 6 officials. There will be two extra officials behind the goal-line to assist the centre-referee. They assured that security will be tight and urged as many fans as possible to come to attend the Kariakoo Derby.
The Yanga and Simba rivalry is considered one of the biggest in African football. The match is always scheduled at a venue that holds the possible largest capacity as fan fill it to the brim.
