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Yanga play down Simba threat

A section of excited Yanga fans cheer as their team arrives at the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam from the Comoros yesterday. The Jangawani Street side beat Ngaya Club de Mbe 5-1 in the Africa Champions League preliminary round, first leg match in Moroni on Sunday. PHOTO | SAID KHAMIS

What you need to know:

  • Team skipper Nadir Haroub said yesterday that League leaders Simba were not on their minds as they prepare for Saturday’s Africa Champions League clash against Comoros’ Ngaya Club de Mbe.
  • “As of now, we’re not thinking about Simba or any other Premier League team. We are only thinking about our game against Ngaya and things we want to achieve,” the 34-year-old defender said.

Dar es Salaam. Young Africans have begun psychological warfare ahead of next week’s top-of-the-table clash against title rivals Simba, saying they are not scared of them.

Team skipper Nadir Haroub said yesterday that League leaders Simba were not on their minds as they prepare for Saturday’s Africa Champions League clash against Comoros’ Ngaya Club de Mbe.

“As of now, we’re not thinking about Simba or any other Premier League team. We are only thinking about our game against Ngaya and things we want to achieve,” the 34-year-old defender said.

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Haroub made the remark at the Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) shortly after arriving from Comoros, where they crushed Ngaya de Mbe 5-1 in the Africa Champions League preliminary round, first leg match on Sunday.

Simba and second-placed Yanga will go head-to-head in the blockbuster Mainland Premier League showdown at the National Stadium on February 25.

“We have a lot of respect for Simba, but we’re not afraid of them. Of course, it will not be easy, but we have the potential to beat any team,” Haroub, one of Yanga’s vastly experienced players, said.

‘We go directly to camp today (yesterday) because our target is to perform impressively in both Africa Champions League and Mainland Premier League,” he added.

Simba are now at the summit of the 16-team league standing with 51 points, two ahead of their closest challengers Yanga.

Ngaya, who were far from impressive in Sunday’s match in Comoros, need a win of at least five clear goals in the return leg tie to make it to the next stage of the continental tournament.

The winner of the two-legged tie will face the winner of another preliminary round match between Rwandan giants APR and Zanaco of Zambia.

The two teams battled to a goalless draw in the first leg tie in Lusaka on Saturday.

The first round matches will be played between March 10 and 12 while the return leg matches are expected to take place a week later, according to the fixture released by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) recently.

When asked for comment on Sunday’s first leg tie, Yanga assistant coach, Juma Mwambusi said their opponents played well despite succumbing to such a humiliating defeat.

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