Zanzibar Heroes, Kili Stars face off in Mapinduzi Cup opener
Kilimanjaro Stars players train ahead of today’s match against Zanzibar Heroes in the Mapinduzi Cup. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
- The encounter, to be held at the Gombani Stadium, is expected to be tough, and both teams' head coaches are confident about securing a win.
Dar es Salaam. The curtain of the 2025 Mapinduzi Cup opens today as the Zanzibar national football team, Zanzibar Heroes, and Tanzania Mainland's Kilimanjaro Stars play the opening match at 8.15pm.
The encounter, to be held at the Gombani Stadium, is expected to be tough, and both teams' head coaches are confident about securing a win.
Kilimanjaro Stars head coach Ahmad Ally said all his players are in high morale and ready to show their prowess in the encounter.
Ally mentioned that most of the players know what Tanzania Mainland football fans expect from them, and is confident they will not let them down.
“It will be a tough match, as we know Zanzibar Heroes are a strong team and also target victory. Our mission and vision for Kilimanjaro Stars is to win the title, and to achieve that, we need to win all matches,” said Ally.
Kilimanjaro Stars will bank on players such as Crispin Ngushi, Edgar Williams, Ayoub Lyanga, Metacha Mnata, Lameck Lawi, Nassor Saadun, Zidane Sereri, Lusajo Mwaikenda, and Offen Chikola.
Zanzibar Heroes head coach Hemed “Morocco” Suleiman said they know how tough the match will be, but his main target is to win. He said his players are in good shape and are not ready to disappoint Zanzibar football fans.
Morocco will likely depend on players such as Feisal “Fei Toto” Salum, Laurian Makame, Ame Ibrahim, Maabad Maulid, Adeyum Saleh, Issa Mukrim, and others.
According to the fixture, tomorrow, Burkina Faso will face Kenya and on Sunday will be a break for the tournament.
Zanzibar Heroes will return to the pitch on January 6 to face Burkina Faso, while Kilimanjaro Stars will play Kenya the following day.
The tournament will conclude on January 19 with a match between Kilimanjaro Stars and Burkina Faso, while Kenya and Zanzibar will meet on January 10 and 11.
The fixture shows that January 12 will be a rest day, with the final taking place on January 13, where the top two teams with the most points will compete for the championship.
