Five teams yearn for PL promotion

MWANZA: THE race for Mainland Premier League promotion next season has intensified with five Championship League teams battling neck and neck to earn such a privilege.

Mbeya-based Kengold FC and Mwanza envoys Pamba FC are at the top two places of the 16-team table with 64 and 61 points apiece.

In their recent matches, Kengold got a slender 1-0 away win over TMA at Sheikh Amri Abeid Stadium in Arusha. Pamba also won 1-0 against FGA Talents at Nyamagana Stadium in Mwanza.

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If the two sides maintain the same winning spirit in their next two matches, they will earn direct promotion to the top-flight league next term an opportunity they do not want to miss.

Similarly, Biashara United and Mbeya Kwanza are not far away in the marathon as they accommodate third and fourth slots courtesy of 59 points each.

Interestingly, after 28 games, Biashara United and Mbeya Kwanza have each won 18 games, drawn 5, and lost 5 and they only differ in goal difference as the former have +36 while the latter have +20.

Here, it should be known that two teams that finish in third and fourth places in the championship league are exposed to two-legged play-off fixtures against two teams that end on 13th and 14th slots in the Premier League.

In fifth place are TMA FC with 54 points as they trail Mbeya Kwanza with 5 points which can be surpassed if they manage to win their upcoming two games and at the same time, hoping that the latter should concede defeat in their two remaining assignments.

As such, these five teams (Kengold, Pamba, Biashara United, Mbeya Kwanza, and TMA) have an opportunity to feature in the upcoming 2024/25 top-flight league calendar.

The remaining two encounters will therefore be decisive for them as each side targets to grab a maximum of six points to end the campaign on the gas pedal.

However, all is not well for Pan African and Ruvu Shooting which occupy the bottom two places on the log courtesy of 16 and 12 points respectively from 28 clashes.

Meanwhile, Mwanza Regional Commissioner (RC) Said Mtanda awarded Pamba Jiji FC a bonus of 10m/- following their 1-0 success over Fountain Gate Talents urging players to work hard to win their upcoming two matches.