Azam, Geita on test, three venues host fierce battle

THREE hot fixtures have been lined up today to wind up the second round of the NBC Premier League as teams are on the battlefield fighting for maximum points.

After a positive start of the campaign, Azam remain at their backyard Azam Complex welcoming bruised side Geita Gold who launched their season on back foot following a 3-0 loss to Simba.

It is one of the entertaining matches for today bearing in mind that both teams are envoys in the approaching CAF Confederation Cup assignments hence a good chance for sports fraternity to asses the duo as they hustle for the three points.

Azam coach Abdihamid Moallin has already forecasted a difficult match saying Geita Gold are a good side and plays good football as such, the game is going to be tense to both teams.

“They lost their opening match hence this is their next opportunity to try to grab essential points but, for us, we are fully well prepared to face them and continue with our perfect start of the season.

“The good thing is that my players have now begun to understand the rhythm of the league especially after winning our first match. This is a big boost and we are set to carry on from where we stopped,” said him.

On his part, Geita Gold coach Felix Minziro also stressed that the match is tough but he insisted that his team is fully charged to face Azam and stamp a victory in the end.

Elsewhere today, debutants Singida Big Stars have an acid test fixture against Mbeya City slated at Liti Stadium in Lindi with both sides heading into the encounter after winning their respective league openers.

The hosting side defeated Tanzania Prisons 1-0 at the same pitch while Mbeya City were 3-1 winners over Dodoma Jiji at the same venue hence it is one of the glittering fixtures likely to attract attention of many people.

Also, another hot match is at Manungu Complex in Morogoro where Mtibwa Sugar face Ruvu Shooting as the former eye to grab their first win after being held to a 2-2 draw by Namungo in their previous match.

For Ruvu Shooting, they are eager to maintain perfect start after winning 1-0 versus Ihefu and it is their second successive away fixture of the season.

However, after today’s matches, the league will be paused to pave way for Taifa Stars engage in the qualifiers of the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) as they face Uganda in a two-legged fixture.

As such, normal fixtures will bounce back on September 6th when Geita Gold will host Kagera Sugar whereas defending champions Young Africans will entertain Azam at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in the city.