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The East African clubs are in the knockout stage of the continental competition this season.
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu has spent Ksh5.7m (Tsh100m) on each goal Simba SC and Yanga SC have scored in CAF inter-club competitions.
According to Simba, the head of state has been giving out financial incentives to motivate the country’s giants when they compete in international competitions.
Since February, when Suluhu initiated the program, Simba have scored 11 goals while Yanga have found the back of the net on nine occasions, translating into millions spent already.
Simba – after a grueling group stage of the Champions League – progressed to the quarter-final and are set to face Wydad Casablanca of Morocco on April 22.
Simba were in Group C and faced Raja Casablanca, Guinean giants Horoya AC, and Uganda’s Vipers SC. They were second in the pool and consequently booked a place in the last eight.
19:15 - 16.04.2023
FOOTBALL Joash Onyango’s Simba throw away form book to silence Yanga and revive slim title hopes
Wekundu wa Msimbazi scored early to settle the nerves and held on to narrow the gap at the top to five points
Wekundu wa Msimbazi are seasoned participants in the CAF competitions, and this has helped them build their brand as one of the competitive sides, especially within East Africa.
On the other hand, Yanga, who are in the quarter-finals of Africa's second-tier club competition – the Confederation Cup – are scheduled to play Rivers United of Nigeria on Sunday, April 23.
At the group stage, Timu ya Wananchi were impressive and ended up topping the pool with 13 points. On paper, they were not tipped to emerge at the top in a group that had African giants, TP Mazembe from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
However, as Yanga seamlessly maneuvered the group campaign, Mazembe ended at the bottom, with US Monastir of Tunisia and Mali’s Real Bamako finishing second and third, respectively.
Yanga and Simba are fierce local rivals, and this has helped brand the Tanzanian league. This has also attracted key players from foreign lands to play for either side.
Currently, Yanga boast one of the most lethal strikers in the league in Fiston Mayele, who has been a key goal scorer both in the previous season and in the ongoing campaign.
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19:05 - 02.04.2023
CAF CC Yanga complete a rare double over 10 man TP Mazembe
Yanga missed the services of Ugandan international Khalid Aucho, but that didn't stop them from completing a double over TP Mazembe in the final group game of the CAF Confederation Cup played in Lubumbashi on Sunday.
Previously, Kenya’s Bernard Mwalala – the scorer of the Kariakoo Derby’s first-ever goal at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in 2008 - and Boniface Ambani featured for the reigning champions and made names for themselves with top-level performances.
At Simba, Meddie Kagere is one of the notable players to have donned their jerseys. The Rwandan, who signed from Gor Mahia in 2018 and is now with Singida Big Stars, was a key asset as Simba dominated the league for four consecutive seasons before their dominance was ended by high-flying Yanga last term.
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10:40 - 09.04.2023
FOOTBALL Simba table contract offer for AS Vita striker Eric Kabwe
But the Black Dolphins have added the DR Congo international to the list of players set for new contracts with the club.
Apart from internal investments and external sponsorship, the fanbase has been a boosting factor for both sides, which has made the Kariakoo Derby one of the most popular showdowns on the continent.
But with Simba’s latest revelation, could the president’s gesture be a primary motivating factor for these outfits?
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