Simba SC have called on their rivals Yanga SC to stay behind and stage a guard of honour for the Mainland Premier League champions after their Kariakoo derby on Saturday.
The Wekundu wa Msimbazi will host their Jangwani rivals in a top-of-the-table clash that will likely decide the destiny of the league title at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.
Simba have already taken control of the 18-team league table as they are six points ahead of their rivals, and a win against the Jangwani giants will put them on the verge of a fourth straight title in the Tanzanian top-flight.
The two giants were supposed to play this fixture on May 18 but it was postponed after Yanga walked away at the eleventh hour when Tanzania Football Federation moved the kick-off time from 16:00 to 19:00.
On Tuesday, Simba media officer Haji Manara has urged their rivals to make sure they honour the derby and further asked them to remain behind after the final whistle to give the champions a guard of honour.
What has been said?
“We hope that Yanga will show up this time around, we hope they will honour the match, if they don’t show up then it will be another miracle but if they come I want to request the police to confiscate keys of their bus until we play the game,” Manara told Goal.
Simba SC.
“They must show up and then decide to run away, so the best thing is to have the security forces keep their bus keys until we play the match, even if it means security taking the keys by force, then the better, then after the game, they can get it back.
“I also hope after the game; Yanga will remain on the pitch to give champions of Tanzania Simba a guard of honour.”
Manara confident Simba will be crowned
On what he expects from the derby, Manara said: “Of course Saturday’s game always has its own difficulties because it is a derby but in terms of the performance that Simba have displayed this season, the quality squad that we have, I don’t see any reason why we can’t get three points.
“We also know that one point will be enough to give us the title because we will reach 74 points and even if our rivals Yanga win the remaining two matches after the derby they will also reach 74 points but we have a better goal difference.
“I don’t think Yanga can manage 30 goals from their remaining two matches after our game and I don’t think Simba can lose the remaining four matches after Yanga game, that is impossible, so automatically even a draw will give us the title.
Simba SC.
“The title is ours, we have the chance to win it, we only need three points to clinch a fourth straight title and for sure we will win the title, and we will beat Yanga because of the quality we have in our squad.
“The rhetoric’s that derby is always unpredictable will not count on Saturday, in the current situation the team with the best performance will always carry the day and everyone knows Simba are the best this season and we will beat them, we are better than Yanga 1oo times, and we will play at Mkapa where we slay rivals.
“We have prepared well, we don’t have injuries, we don’t have any player serving suspension, the technical bench has done their part and we want to show Yanga that we are the kings of Tanzania football on Saturday.”
During the first meeting, Simba needed an 86th-minute goal from Kenya defender Joash Onyango to snatch a late draw after Yanga had taken the lead through a 25th-minute penalty converted by striker Michael Sarpong.
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