Mainland Tanzania Premier League top spot now turns into three horse race

Dar es Salaam. The Mainland Tanzania Premier League appears to have turned into a three-horse race, with Young Africans (Yanga), Simba and Azam FC engaging in stiff competition for the top three positions.

The league continues on February 14, 2024 at three different venues, whereby at 4pm Simba will be away playing against JKT Tanzania at the Isamuhyo  in Dar es Salaam, while Tanzania Prisons will face Singida Fountain Gate FC at the Sokoine Stadium in Mbeya and Coastal Union hosting Dodoma Jiji FC at the Mkwakwani Stadium in Tanga, where the match will kick off at 8.15pm.

So far, Young Africans (Yanga) are at the top with 40 points from 15 matches, followed by Simba with 33 points from 14 matches, and Azam FC have collected 32 points from 14 matches.

Other teams in the top five are Kinondoni Municipal Council (KMC), who have collected 22 points from 15 matches, and Singida Fountain Gate FC, who are fifth with 20 points from 15 matches.

Arithmetically, Yanga are seven points ahead of second placed Simba and eight points clear against third placed Azam FC.

However, Simba and Azam FC have one match in hand to level with the league’s defending champions, Yanga, who have played 15 matches. If the two teams win their last matches to complete the first round, they will reduce the gap with Yanga.

Simba will be four points behind and Azam FC will be five points behind Yanga respectively.

The current league standings show that KMC are 10 points behind third placed Azam FC, 11 points behind Simba who are second and 18 points behind the league leaders, Yanga.

The league trend shows that already 13 teams are n different statuses as there are those that aim to end the league as top five finishers while others fight to avoid relegation.

So far, Mtibwa Sugar FC, Mashujaa FC, Tabora United and Geita Gold FC are fighting for their survival in the league.

The four teams are placed in four positions from the bottom of the league log, which looks like midway.

Despite the fact football sometimes having strange results, Mtibwa Sugar, who won the title in 1999 and 2000, need to play their cards well to avoid relegation as they hold the tail with eight points from 15 matches.

Records show that Mtibwa Sugar, during the 2021/2022 season, featured in the relegation playoff and managed to remain in the premiership after doing well.

Mashujaa are placed 15th with 10 points from 15 matches while Tabora United sit 14th with 16 points from 15 matches and Geita Gold FC are placed 13th with 16 points from 14 matches.