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Mbeya City, Mashujaa face off in Premiership playoff today
Mbeya City players train ahead of today’s Tanzania Mainland Premier League playoff against Championship League side Mashajuaa FC of Kigoma. The encounter has been scheduled to take place at the Sokoine Stadium in Mbeya Region, PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
- The match is do-or-die for both teams in order to feature in the next year’s Mainland Tanzania Premier League as the losers will feature in the Championship League
Dar es Salaam. Mbeya City today host Mashujaa FC of Kigoma in the return leg of the Mainland Tanzania Premier League playoff at the Sokoine Stadium in Mbeya.
The match is do-or-die for both teams in order to feature in the next year’s Mainland Tanzania Premier. The losers of the encounter will feature in the Championship League next season. In the first leg played at the Lake Tanganyika Stadium in Kigoma, Mashujaa FC won 3-1.
Mashujaa FC’s goals were scored by Abiud Mtambuka, Asange Stalon, and Shadrack Mtambika to give the Kigoma side an upper hand ahead of the return leg. Mbeya City had an own goal by Aziz Sibo in the 62nd minute as Mashujaa FC just need only a draw to be promoted to the next year’s Premier League season.
The Mbeya based side will at least have to win 2-0 in order to remain in the Mainland Tanzania Premiership as the situation makes today’s encounter, scheduled to kick off at 3.30pm, a thrilling and unpredictable one. Mbeya City assistant head Coach Paul Nonga said they have prepared well for the encounter and their target is to revenge the defeat and remain in the league. He noted that all his players are in good shape and ready to win the encounter.
"All the mistakes that made us lose the encounter in Kigoma have been rectified and my players are waiting for the match. It is going to be tough as the winners will secure the chance of competing in the next season’s Mainland Tanzania Premier League," said Nonga.
According to the Mbeya Football Association, football fans attending the counter will not pay entrance fees. Nonga said they are facing an uphill task, but added that in football anything can happen, given the nature of the match.
"We will be playing at our home venue, where we believe a good result will be on our side to escape relegation," he said.
Mashujaa FC head coach Abdul Mingange said their determination is to win the encounter and get promoted to featuring in the next season's Mainland Premier League. Mingange said they are expecting to face a strong opposition from Mbeya City, but explained that he has prepared his team well.
‘It is going to be a tough assignment for me and my players. However, we have committed and top-class players who, we believe, will give the best result," said Mingange.
