Pundits have their say on Dar derby

Dar es Salaam. Derby fever is already gripping the nation as Young Africans and Simba renew their age-old rivalry on Saturday in the Dar derby.

The Vodacom Premier League will be played at the 60,000-seater National Stadium with fans and pundits looking forward to a spectacle.

Simba, who lost both matches last season, head into the match as the league leaders having racked up 16 points from six matches.

The defending champions, in contrast, sit third with 10 points garnered from five outings. Ahead of the match, some top pundits in the country believe that the eagerly awaited derby will be evenly contested.

Edo Kumwembe, who is a writer and a Supersport commentator, weighed the two sides from the matches played and their club depths, but could not see either of them carrying a clear advantage.

“For me, it is a 50/50 affair. No team has a clear advantage for the Saturday clash. Both sides have more-or-less similar strengths,” said Kumwembe, who writes for Mwanaspoti.

“Simba have an improved squad this season and will approach this match with a psychological edge. They have won most of their matches. However, they still lack maturity in some areas and can pay the price for that.”

He added: “Yanga is a strong side with brilliant players. They have played together for a long time, they have a good partnership and this is their strength. But they go into the match fresh from a 1-0 loss to Stand United.”

Ally Mtumwa, who is the director of the Rolling Stone Academy and columnist, said it would be anyone’s match. “Simba have so far been very good and will face Yanga with their confidence high. They bolstered significantly, so they have a fair chance of winning,” he said.

“Nonetheless, Yanga have a good partnership in almost all areas and I can bet my last coin on them. The team has more depth unlike their rivals. “Simba strikers have been devilishly precise, but their defenders won’t have an easy evening against the likes of Donald Ngoma and Amissi Tambwe.”

Simba have Ibrahim Ajib, Shiza Kichuya and Laudit Mavugo upfront. The trio have been spectacular since the league kickoff.

Ally Mayai, a former Yanga player, also believes that the match will be evenly contested considering the strength of both outfits.

“The two sides are almost equal in many aspects, but all that matters on Saturday is mental preparation rather than technique and physique,” said Mayai.