The draw for the round of 16 of the ASFC, scheduled to kick on February 24, produced some exciting allpremier league fixtures. Last season’s runners-up Azam will host Mtibwa Sugar at Azam Complex in a thrilling all-premier league affair with Kagera Sugar taking on Stand United at Kaitaba Stadium in Bukoba.
Two more matches will be played on the day whereby Ndanda FC will visit the Mighty Elephant at the Majimaji Stadium in Ruvuma whilst Arusha’s Madini FC will be up against JKT Ruvu at Sheikh Amri Abeid Stadium in Arusha, while Mbeya dwellers will be treated to a mouthwatering derby on February 26 with Mbeya City taking on the city’s rivals Prisons.
Mwanza residents should also brace for a thrilling derby between Mbao FC and Toto Africans at CCM Kirumba on the same date. Giants Simba, who are desperate to return to international football, are scheduled to play African Lyon on March 1 at the National Stadium. Having crashed out at the quarterfinal stage last season, Simba will certainly go all out seeking to win the competition, whose winner represents the country in the CAF Confederation Cup.
But they will be aware of the kind of opposition they will be up against having already faced this Lyon twice in the league this season. Lyon inflicted Simba’s first defeat of the season, winning 1-0 but the Reds won the reverse fixture.
Joseph Omog charges sailed into the last 16 of the Azam Sports Federation Cup with a routine 2-0 win over Polisi courtesy of Pastory Athanas and Mohamed Hussein’s strikes. In the last of the eighth ties, defending champions Yanga will be expected to make an easy work of Kiluvya United when the Premier League leaders face the Dar es Salaam minnows on March 7 at the National Stadium.
George Lwandamina’s Yanga side kicked off their ASFC title defence campaign with a 4-1 rout of First Division League (FDL) side Ashanti United 4-1. Yanga clinched the previous year title after thrashing Azam FC 3-1 in the final game at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
Despite losing the final, Azam secured the ticket to represent Mainland Tanzania in CAF Confederation Cup as Yanga also emerged Premier League champions. With Premier League title race a tight two-horse race between Simba and Yanga, ASFC remain the only hope for a ticket to bear the country’s flag at international competitions for the rest of the chasing pack.
Top flight elites of Azam FC, Mtibwa Sugar will be expected to mount a serious challenge for the Federation Cup glory against the two big wigs of domestic football.
But as Coastal Union proved last time out after making it to the semis despite their destitute league position, one should not bet against the likes of Kagera Sugar, Mbeya City, Mbao FC, Prisons and Toto African posting an upset along the way.
source:dailynews.co.tz
0 comments:
Post a Comment