The Tanzania Premier League Board (TPLB) has explained how they drafted the remaining fixtures in the Mainland Premier League.
The Tanzanian top-flight is set to resume on June 13 after the government through President John Pombe Magufuli eased the lockdown on sporting activities after it was halted in mid-March owing to the coronavirus pandemic.
TPLB CEO Almas Kasongo has now revealed they put in mind matches in hand when working on the fixtures with the normal flow of matches set to begin on June 20.
“By June 20, each team on the log will have an equal number of played games and thereby enabling the fixtures to unfold normally until July 26 when the season will be completed,” Kasongo is quoted by Daily News.
Kasongo further revealed the league’s play-off first legs between two teams from the top-flight league and two teams from the First Division League (FDL), will be played on July 29 after the end of the season and that the return legs will be held on August 1.
Two teams from the play-offs will be licensed to play in the top-flight league next season,” Kasongo continued.
In the fixtures, Mwadui FC will host Young Africans (Yanga SC) at Kambarage Stadium in a tie expected to kick-off at 16:00 EAT on June 13. This is a first leg match, Matchday 17, which had not been honoured before the VPL was cancelled in April.
The second match will see Coastal Union host third-place chasing Namungo FC at Mkwakwani Ground with its kick-off time similar to Yanga vs Mwadui's.
On June 14, champions Simba SC will host Ruvu Shooting at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam and second-placed Azam FC will be at home at Azam Chamazi Complex, against Mbao FC.
Yanga will again be on duty on June 17 when they shall be hosted by JKT Tanzania at Jamhuri Stadium.
The Coastal Union vs Namungo FC, Azam vs Mbao FC, Simba vs Ruvu Shooting, and Yanga vs JKT matches are Matchday 29 action.
The matches will be played on a home and away basis after the government changed its tune where it had ordered the action to be played at one centre.
