Dar derby fever grips Tanzania ahead of kick-off

What you need to know:

  • Currently, Yanga are at the top of the 20-team league table with 58 points from 23 matches.

Dar es Salaam. A mammoth crowd is expected at the National Stadium today when the country’s soccer giants, Simba and Young Africans face off.

Various streets in the city are currently lined in red, white, green and yellow in readiness for the Mainland Premier League clash, which kicks off at 4pm.

The clash dubbed battle of the titans, will be handled by referee Hans Mabena from Tanga.

Today is not just another derby; it has the weight of history behind it.

Think about all players who have donned the colours of these two clubs over the past 80 years. They gave journalists countless stories to write about.

It will be the 102 derby since 1965 and is one that promises to be a nail-biting encounter.

In their past 102 meetings, Yanga and Simba have notched up 36 and 30 wins respectively with 30 fixtures ending in a draw.

Currently, Yanga are at the top of the 20-team league table with 58 points from 23 matches.

Simba, the only local team still bidding for success in African football, sit fifth with 36 points from 15 matches.

A win for either team will give fans a clear indication of what to expect at the end of the 2018/19 season in May.

Simba, who beat Egypt’s Al Ahly 1-0 in the Caf Champions League clash on Tuesday, have been camping at Boko Beach Veterans since Wednesday for the derby.

Yanga, on the other hand, were expected to return to Dar es Salaam last night from Morogoro, where they had camped.

Yanga will be without midfielder Thaban Kamusoko in the much anticipated match, according to the team’s head coach, Mwinyi Zahera.

Zahera said the player was still nursing a thigh injury he picked during a league match a few weeks ago.

“Our target is to win the game and remain serious contenders for the title,” Zahera said yesterday.

His Simba counterpart, Patrick Aussems, said his players were in high spirits, raring to down their traditional foes.