DEBUTANTS Mashujaa proved they are force to reckon this season after humiliating Kagera Sugar with a clean 2-0 win in their Premier League opener at Lake Tanganyika Stadium in Kigoma on Wednesday.
Mashujaa, who qualified to play In the top-flight after stamping 4-1 aggregate victory over Mbeya City in the play-off stage, they seem to be full-winged for the campaign.
It was also a good start for JKT Tanzania, also debutants, who sealed a 1-0 away win over Namungo at Majaliwa Stadium in Ruangwa on Tuesday night.
The well attened match at Lake Tanganyika Stadium Kigoma saw the hosts netting the opener midway in the first half through Adam Adam and the lead remained unanswered till the end of the first half.
On resumption, Mashujaa kept on pressing Kagera Sugar goal and their efforts paid off in the 78th minute when Athuman Dunia added the second with a powerful drive.
The first round of the 2023/24 NBC Premier League continues with an electric solo match as Mtibwa Sugar host Simba at Manungu Complex in Morogoro today.
It is the sixth match of the season and the first encounter to either side with each salivating to generate first maximum points of the progressing campaign.
The Msimbazi Street Reds embrace the game with fresh mentality after winning the Community Shield silverware in Tanga and would like to maintain the same momentum by getting the better of their opponents.
Also, it is the opportunity for newly signed Simba players to get the real taste of the premier league feast and will be eager to help their team pocket vital three points on their debut.
But, they face a competitive team that usually plays well when at their turf though last season, they accepted a 3-0 defeat from Simba with venom striker Jean Baleke netting a hat-trick on the day.
“I have prepared well my team to get nothing less than a win even though in football, anything can happen…the training sessions we have had prior to tomorrow’s (today) match gives me confidence to stamp success,” said Mtibwa Sugar coach Habib Kondo.
He added that soon after the season’s fixture was released, they began preparations to face Simba hence they are now ready to do the job.
On his part, Simba coach Roberto Oliveira called on his charges to play good football which in turn should produce positive results to his side.
“Simba is a big club and we are better placed on CAF rankings as such, our opponents should respect us and we will also respect them in return,” the Brazilian coach said.
After claiming his first silverware (community shield) at the helm of Simba, Oliveira is now looking upbeat to challenge for the premier league throne and his mission to attain that begins at Manungu Complex.
In another development, Simba chairman of the Board of Directors Salim Muhene ‘Try Again) who is attending Diploma in Club Management course in Sydney, Australia has held discussions with FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
According to a post on Simba Instagram yesterday, the two discussed a lot of issues including the upcoming African League Championship set to be inaugurated in Tanzania in October this year.
