Azam FC have confirmed the absence of four key players as they prepare to take on Tanzania Prisons in a Mainland Premier League match on Monday.
The league match was supposed to be played on Sunday but was shifted to Monday because domestic Cup winners Namungo FC will use the venue – Chamazi Complex – for their Caf Confederation Cup fixture against 1 de Agosto of Angola.
Azam Media Officer Zakaria Thabit has confirmed four players – Obrey Chirwa, Salum 'Sure Boy' Abubakar, Yahya Zayd, and Frank Domayo – will miss the clash owing to injuries.
“We will miss the services of four players when we take on Tanzania Prisons and most of them are suffering from injuries that are yet to heal,” Zakaria told reporters in Dar es Salaam on Sunday.
“For example, Obrey [Chirwa], who got injured during the 2-2 draw against Simba SC, has resumed light training sessions but I don’t think he is fit enough to start or play in a competitive match.
“I think it is now upon the technical bench to decide if they can use him or not but if you ask me, I don’t think he will be ready for the Monday clash.”
On how prepared they are to face Prisons, Zakaria said: “We have prepared well, and it is good we are coming up against them after winning our last league match [2-1 against Mbeya City],” Zakaria continued.
“All we want now is to start winning our matches and the win against Mbeya was good for us as it gives us the push to do well in the upcoming matches, the players are ready and all we want now is the support of our fans.”
Azam are lying third on the 18-team table with 36 points from 20 matches while Yanga SC are sitting at the top with 49 points from 21 matches and champions Simba are second on 42 points from 18 matches.
The game will give the ‘Ice-cream Makers’ a chance to close in on the reigning champions, who don’t have a league match this weekend, as they are lined up to face Egyptian giants Al Ahly in a Caf Champions League Group A match on Tuesday.
