Dar es Salaam. After a painful exit from the CAF Champions League, Simba SC now turn their attention back to the Mainland Tanzania Premier League with an away fixture against KMC FC scheduled for 7:00 pm today at the KMC Complex Stadium.
The match comes at a critical moment for the Msimbazi Street giants, who are looking to refocus their campaign after missing out on a place in the CAF Champions League quarter-finals.
Head coach Steve Barker admitted his side faces a difficult task despite KMC’s struggles in the league standings.
“We are expecting a very tough match,” Barker said. “This is a strong league, and position on the table doesn’t always reflect the challenge a team can give you. KMC will be fighting for points, and that makes them dangerous.”
According to the current standings, Simba sit seventh with 16 points from just seven matches, boasting one of the league’s best goal differences at +10.
Their position reflects an uneven schedule rather than poor form, as Simba have played significantly fewer matches than most teams above them.
Leaders JKT Tanzania top the table with 27 points from 15 games, while Young Africans SC are second on 22 points from eight outings.
For Simba, today’s match represents an opportunity to close the gap on the top four and reassert themselves as title contenders. Victory would not only boost their points tally but also ease pressure following continental disappointment.
KMC, on the other hand, are rooted at the bottom of the table in 16th place with just eight points from 14 matches.
They have managed only two wins all season and own the league’s worst defensive record, conceding 21 goals and posting a goal difference of -16. However, with relegation fears looming, the hosts are expected to approach the match with urgency and intensity.
Simba’s challenge will be to maintain focus, manage emotions after the CAF setback, and break down a desperate side fighting for survival.
As Barker emphasized, the league now becomes Simba’s primary battleground—and every point matters.
Kickoff is set for 7:00 pm, with both teams chasing different objectives but equal urgency under the lights at the KMC Complex Stadium.
