Simba seek strong start, Fountain Gate target improvement

DAR ES SALAAM: SIMBA will face Fountain Gate FC today at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, as both sides aim to register a positive result in the early stages of the Mainland Premier League campaign.

This will be Simba’s opening match of the season, while Fountain Gate will be looking to recover from a 1-0 defeat to Mbeya City in their first fixture played at their home ground, Kwaraa Stadium in Manyara last week.

Speaking ahead of the match, Simba Assistant Coach Selemani Matola said the team is prepared for the challenge and is targeting maximum points in their season opener.

“We are ready to begin the season. The players’ morale is high. We know it won’t be an easy match, because Fountain Gate lost their first game and will want to respond,” Matola told reporters.

He added that despite the recent departure of Head Coach Fadlu Davids, the players remain focused on their responsibilities.

“We have to maintain professionalism. The players understand what is expected of them. We are fully focused,” he said.

Matola also confirmed that midfielder Mohammed Bajaber will not feature in the match as he continues to recover from injury.

Fountain Gate Head Coach Denis Kitambi acknowledged the challenge of playing against Simba, but said his side is working on improving their finishing. “Our focus is on fixing the problems that appeared in our first match,” said Kitambi.

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He added: “I don’t think we will have many chances against Simba, so we must take the ones we get. We have to give our best performance.”

In recent league meetings, Simba have had the upper hand. On August 25th, 2024, they defeated Fountain Gate 4–0 at the KMC Complex but early this year they drew 1–1 in Babati.