Yanga and Simba set for tense final four

Dar es Salaam. Defending champions Young Africans (Yanga) were seemingly strolling towards a second straight NBC Premier League title, but a 2-0 defeat at the hands of bitter rivals Simba SC on Sunday changed all that.

Yanga are still leading with 68 points, but Simba have slashed the gap on the title holders to just five points with four rounds still to play.

Simba, who won the title four times on the trot before Yanga dethroned them last season, have revived their flickering hopes after a stellar showing at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Sunday.

With the Msimbazi Street outfit in imperious form in recent weeks, Yanga cannot afford any more slip-ups if they are to retain the title the finally won after playing catch-up for four seasons.

Yanga can reach a maximum of 80 points if they win all their remaining fixtures, while Simba have their ceiling on 75 points.

With the other 14 teams having fallen by the wayside, the battle for the title is now a two-horse race between Yanga and Simba.

Three of Yanga’s four remaining matches will be away assignments. They will face Singida Big Stars in Singida before hosting Dodoma Jiji in Dar es Salaam and playing away to Mbeya City and Tanzania Prisons in Mbeya.

In contrast, Simba will be at home in three of their four remaining matches. Their only away match will be against Namungo FC in Lindi. They will then host Ruvu Shooting, Polisi Tanzania and relegation-haunted Coastal Union in Dar es Salaam.

Yanga need eight points to retain their title. In other words, they will be home and dry if they win two matches and draw two.

Yanga head coach Nasreddine Nabi said they are still the title favourites despite their loss to Simba on Sunday.

“We still have four matches to play. We are five points clear and we don’t feel any pressure,” said the Tunisian tactician.

His Simba counterpart, Roberto Oliviera “Robertinho”, said they were still very much in the title race.

"We are still in the title race and my players know that. We will play with sheer determination in our remaining games because that is what we need to do to regain the title,” said the Brazilian.

Apart from Polisi Tanzania and Ruvu Shooting, other teams facing demotion are Kinondoni Municipal Council (KMC) who have placed in the 14th with 26 points from 26 matches, and 13th placed Mbeya City with 27 points from 26 matches,

Also on the list are Coastal Union (12th, 27 points), Dodoma Jiji (11th, 28 points), Tanzania Prisons (10th, 28 points), Mtibwa Sugar (9th, 29 points), and Kagera Sugar, who are placed eighth with 32 points from 26 matches.

As per the league rules and regulations, the two bottom-placed teams (16th and 15th) will be directly demoted to the Championship League, formerly the First Division.

If Polisi Tanzania win all four of their remaining matches, they will collect a total of 31 points, while Ruvu Shooting will garner 32 points.