Mayele, Ntibazonkiza lock horns for NBC League Golden Boot Award
Simba's Saido Ntibazonkiza dictating proceedings against Uganda's Vipers
Dar es Salaam. As the NBC Premier League ends tomorrow, the race has now been for the Golden Boot award and the teams that will feature in the relegation playoffs.
Yanga have already retained the title after collecting 75 points and all the remaining 15 teams will not beat them as Ruvu Shooting and Polisi Tanzania have already been relegated to the Championship League (formerly the First Division).
According to the league regulations, the 13th and 14th-placed teams in the league table will meet in a two-leg format, whose winners will face the winners of the Championship league. Already Mashujaa of Kigoma have secured the ticket to feature in the playoffs.
As per the league standings, Mbeya City, who are placed in the 14th position with 31 points and 14th placed Kinondoni Municipal Council (KMC) with 29 points are likely to face off.
The two teams will meet tomorrow at the Sokoine Stadium in Mbeya, and each team target victory in order to avoid featuring in the relegation playoffs.
Apart from the two teams, also in the danger of featuring in the playoffs are Dodoma Jiji FC, who are placed 10th after collecting 34 points. Dodoma Jiji FC will meet Ruvu Shooting in their final league match.
The list also includes Coastal Union of Tanga, who have so far collected 33 points and will meet Simba at the Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
Another team is Mtibwa Sugar with 32 points and will meet Geita Gold FC at the Manungu Complex in Turiani, Morogoro.
Meanwhile, Simba’s attacking midfielder Saido Ntibazonkiza has increased the heat of the battle for the Golden Boot Award against Yanga's attacker Fiston Mayele.
Ntibazonkiza has so far scored 15 goals, five of which he scored against Polisi Tanzania in the encounter that saw Msimbazi Street Giants win 6-1 at the Azam Complex.
Mayele, who did not play in the match in which Yanga faced Mbeya City, will now feature in the final match against Tanzania Prisons at the Sokoine Stadium in Mbeya.
During last season’s league, Mayele contested the Golden Boot Award with George Mpole, who was featuring for Geita Gold FC and Mpole won the award after scoring 17 goals while Mayele scored 16 goals.
