Simba eye Mgambo JKT scalp

 Dar es Salaam. Simba’s hopes of taking another step towards the top-three finish in the Mainland Premier League could be kept in check by resurgent Mgambo JKT this afternoon.

The dethroned champions sit third with 42 points, 17 ahead of Mgambo with Kagera Sugar sitting two points adrift in fourth place but one ahead of misfiring Mtibwa Sugar. This means Simba can all but guarantee the third berth by turning tables on the army outfit at the National Stadium today.

On paper, the Msimbazi Reds, fresh from their 3-1 win over Ruvu Shooting at the same venue last weekend, start as favourites in today’s encounter.

But they should not expect victory on a silver platter because Mgambo, sitting just above the relegation zone, are in dire need of the three points that are at stake today to revive their hopes of avoiding relegation.

Mgambo are now 11th with 25 points, six ahead of bottom-placed African Lyon and three ahead of 13th-placed Toto African, with Morogoro Police FC, another relegation haunted side, sitting 12th with 22 points.

They, therefore, need at least a draw today to revive their hopes of featuring in the top flight league next season.

Toto African and African Lyon have already been relegated to a lower division after a series of poor results in their respective games.

“Our fans are waiting with baited breath for this game,” Simba’s head coach Patrick Liewig said yesterday.

“It’s an important game for us, but we’ve been preparing for it just as we would every other game because at this stage of the league you can’t afford to be complacent against any team,” he added.

Simba relinquished their Premier League crown to their arch  rivals Young Africans with three games left to play of the campaign and Liewig says they must win their last two games, starting today, to appease their disgruntled fans.

They will wind up their campaign on May 18 against newly crowned champions Yanga, who are not in action today.