Yanga, Simba turn focus on Mainland Premiership

What you need to know:

  •  The rivals are now turning focus on the NBC Mainland Premier League kicks off today in different venues

Dar es Salaam. After winning for the second time Community Shield, Young Africans (Yanga) head Coach Nesreddine Nabi has said he is now turning focus on the NBC Mainland Premier League kicks off today in different venues.

Nesreddine led Yanga in a 2-1 victory against their bitter rivals, Simba at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Saturday night, thanks goals scored by Fiston Mayele in the second half to set new record in the Community Shield encounter.

Mayele’s first record was in the last year’s Community Shield after scoring lonely goal against Simba that earned Yanga sixth’s Community Shield after struggling for four consecutive seasons. The DR Congo’s two goals in this year’s encounter become the first player to score back to back against Simba in the Community Shield encounters.

Simba’s goal was scored by Pape Oumane Sakho in the first half. Speaking after the match, Nabi said commended his players for the comeback and in the remaining time, he will focus on sharpening skills of his players before starting the first match against Polisi Tanzania to be played at the Sheikh Amri Abeid Stadium in Arusha Region tomorrow. Simba will be in action on Wednesday facing Geita Gold at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium from 6.15pm.

“I have seen my players’ standard in the toughest encounter against Simba. They have been improved when comparing against the first match against Uganda’s Vipers. I am still improving them as we are starting long journey of the Mainland Tanzania Premier League,” said Nabi.

Simba’s head coach Zoran Maki said that they are now going back in training to sharpening skills before starting their first match in the league.

“We made mistakes and allow Yanga to score two goals,”said Maki.