JKT Queens clinch 2024/25 TWPL title on goal difference benefit

DAR ES SALAAAM: JKT Queens have stamped their authority on the 2024/25 Tanzania Women’s Premier League (TWPL), securing the championship in spectacular style with a commanding 5-0 win over Gets Program on Tuesday.

The emphatic victory saw JKT Queens finish the season level on 47 points with the then defending champions Simba Queens. However, a superior goal difference propelled the former to the top of the table, clinching their fifth league title and reaffirming their status as a powerhouse in Tanzanian women’s football.

From the first whistle, JKT Queens left no doubt about their intentions. The team lit up the pitch with a dazzling display of attacking football, netting three goals in the opening 35 minutes. Anastazia Katunzi opened the scoring in the 6th minute, setting the tone for the match. Stumai Abdallah doubled the lead in the 24th minute before Wilfred Gerard made it 3-0 in the 31st.

Gerard returned to complete her brace in the 68th minute and Janet Matulanga added the final flourish with an 87th-minute strike, sealing a memorable 5-0 triumph that delivered the title.

Despite a solid 2-0 win over Alliance Girls— thanks to goals from Jentrix Shikangwa and Shelda Boniface, Simba Queens were edged out by goal difference and finished second, bringing an end to their reign after four consecutive titles between 2019/20 and 2023/24.

With this latest title, JKT Queens have now won the TWPL five times, previously lifting the trophy in the 2017/18, 2018/19, and 2022/23 seasons. This latest triumph not only adds another star to their crest but also places them ahead of their fierce rivals, Simba Queens, in the all-time standings.

JKT’s success was bolstered by a phenomenal season from striker Stumai Abdallah, who finished as the league’s top scorer with a staggering 28 goals. She was followed closely by Simba Queens’ Jentrix Shikangwa (24 goals), with Alliance Girls’ Winfrida Gerald (13 goals) and Yanga Princess’ Neema Paul (12 goals) completing the top four.

Yanga Princess wrapped up their campaign in third place after a 2-2 draw with Ceasia Queens, finishing with 37 points. Mashujaa Queens claimed fourth with 31 points following a 3-1 win over Bunda Queens. Fountain Gate Princess ended their season on a high note, thrashing Mlandizi Queens 6-0.

However, the season ended in heartbreak for two of the league’s veteran sides. Mlandizi Queens, who managed just one point throughout the season, were relegated alongside Gets Program, who concluded the campaign with 10 points.

The 2024/25 TWPL season will be remembered as one of intense competition, breathtaking individual performances and a spectacular finale. For JKT Queens, it marks the dawn of a new era—one where they have reestablished themselves as the queens of Tanzanian football, lifting the trophy in style and rewriting the league’s history.