Simba SC coach Sven Vandenbroeck has revealed they have now shifted their focus to winning the FA Cup after being crowned Mainland Premier League champions on Sunday.
The Wekundu wa Mzimbazi bagged their third straight title after securing a 0-0 draw against Tanzania Prisons in a match played at Sokoine Stadium in Mbeya City.
Simba’s work was made easier on Saturday after their closest challengers Azam FC dropped points in a 1-1 draw against Biashara United.
Vandenbroeck has now stated they don’t have time to rest after arriving in Dar es Salaam from Mbeya on Monday and insisted they have already shifted gear towards doing well in their quarter-final match against Azam on Wednesday.
“We are happy we won the league and now our focus is to do well in the domestic Cup,” Vandenbroeck told the club’s official website.
“In our league match against Tanzania Prisons we only had two agendas, to win or draw and get the title and we managed to get the draw which gave us the title, now we want to do well in the FA Cup.
“We have a huge game lined up against Azam and I have asked my players to focus on the fixture, this is a must-win match for us, we want to win a double this season and must make sure we go past Azam to reach the semis.
“All my players are good, no one picked an injury in Mbeya where we played two matches, everyone is raring to go, and the players know what we have discussed before, and what we want to achieve this season, I know Azam is a tough team but we are ready for them.”
The league victory underlined Simba and Yanga's dominance in the Tanzanian competition in the last decade since the two arch-rivals and Azam FC in one attempt, have bagged every title.
Simba's three successful consecutive campaigns, in the 2017/18, 2018/19 and in the 2019/20 seasons has matched Yanga's record achieved in the 2014/15, 2015/16 and 2016/17 seasons.
It is the second time Simba have been champions in three straight campaigns as the same feat was achieved from 1993 to 1995 and apart from Yanga and Simba, no other Tanzanian club has managed to win the league gong and defend it in two or more consecutive seasons.
