Tanzanian giants Yanga and Simba will have the East African region at a standstill - at least for 90 minutes - on Sunday afternoon.
This Sunday’s Dar-es-Salaam derby has Tanzanian football fans salivating as Yanga and Simba prepare to lock horns for the second time in the 2022/23 season, but will there be a winner?
The last time the two sides met in an NBC Premier League encounter, the thrill-a-minute affair saw both teams going home with a point each after a one-all draw.
Yanga sits on top of the league table with 68 points after 25 games, while their rivals Simba are in second place with 60 points after playing the same number of matches.
Regarding firepower in front of the goal, Simba have netted 60 times and conceded 14 goals, losing one match, drawing six games, and winning 18 encounters in the process.
Yanga, on the other hand, have scored 50 goals and conceded 11 goals and, in the process, have succumbed to one loss and two draws while they have won 22 matches.
The derby is crucial for Simba to close the gap with leaders Yanga in the title race, while a win for Yanga will bring them an inch closer to their third successive league title.
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Yanga comes into the match as the favorites, having won their last eight matches across all competitions.
Their rivals Simba are also in good form despite losing two of their last eight matches in all competitions. However, despite this, form counts for nothing regarding the Kariakoo Derby.
Speaking on Saturday, Simba assistant Coach Juma Mgunda said he had prepared his players purposely to win the encounter despite the tough challenges they will face.
“It has our destiny of the season. We are still in the race of the championship because the champion of the campaign will be declared when the season is over,” he said.
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Both sides face a serious injury crisis ahead of one of the two league matches on Sunday.
Regarding injuries, Simba goalkeeper Aishi Manula remains doubtful for the clash, while dependable defender Henock Inong has been ruled fit for the clash.
In Yanga’s camp, there are no injury worries ahead of the biggest clash, and they have assured their fans that they are raring to go against their rivals Simba.
The rivalry between the two sides has been there for the past 86 years when the two sides met in a league match and has ever since remained the biggest match in the Tanzanian soccer calendar.
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The league leaders face a tricky fixture as they entertain London rivals away from home.
But there is no love lost between the two combatants whenever they cross swords, although Yanga have had the most laughs in that out of their last 109 meetings. Yanga have vanquished Simba 38 times and lost 31 times with 40 matches ending in a draw.