THERE are all signs that Dar es Salaam football giants; Simba, Young Africans and Azam will renew rivalry as the 13th edition of Mapinduzi Cup 2020 kicks off here today at Amaan Stadium.
The Dar es Salaam trio and Mtibwa Sugar from Morogoro have been included in this year’s Mapinduzi Cup fixture joining four others from Isles.
The tournaments’ defending champions Azam open their defence campaign by facing Mlandege at Amaan Stadium here while Mtibwa Sugar will be in Pemba to face Chipukizi at Gombani Stadium this evening.
Yanga who forced a 2-2 draw with their traditional rivals Simba will be on the pitch tomorrow to lock horns with Jamhuri of Pemba at Amaan Stadium, while Simba are pitted against Zimamoto in a match to be staged tomorrow at Gombani Stadium in Pemba.
The match between Yanga and Jamhuri will be staged under floodlights. Unlike in the past events, this year’s tournament will be played on knockout basis.
Two venues; Gombani Stadium in Pemba and Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar have been picked to host the 13th edition of Mapinduzi Cup, according to the organisers Zanzibar Football Federation (ZFF). The eight-team tournament has pooled teams into two groups.
Group A consists of Yanga, Azam, Mlandege and Jamhuri and their matches will be staged at Amaan Stadium. Simba are pooled in a Group B alongside Mtibwa Sugar, Zimamoto and Chipukizi. This year’s tournaments will be part of events to mark the Zanzibar Revolution staged on January 12, 1964.
Azam won the 12th edition after beating Simba 2-1 in the finals held at Gombani Stadium in Pemba.
The final match of this year’s tournament according to ZFA will be staged on January 13th at Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar.
According to the fixture the Dar es Salaam football giants will not take each other on in the group stage of the competition, but likely to meet at a later stage.
This happens to be the third time in a row Azam and Yanga are pooled in the same group of the Mapinduzi Cup. Azam will be eyeing back-to-back titles in the competition.
The committee of 12 members is responsible to oversee the entire 2020 Mapinduzi Cup.
The Chairman of the committee is Sharifa Maulid while Maalim Khamis Abdallah Said will serve as the Secretary of the committee. Other members forming the committee are Khamis Mussa Omar, Issa Mlingoti, Seif Kombo Pandu, Mohamed Ali Hilali (Tedy), Aiman Othman Duwe, Fatma Hamad Rajab, Salum Ubwa Ali Khalil, Juma Mmanga and Suleiman Pandu Kweleza.
