Africa-Press – Tanzania. HOLDERS Simba face JKT Tanzania in the third round match of the Azam Sports Federation Cup (ASFC) at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam today.
The encounter will unfold simultaneously with other six fixtures set to roll out in different venues across the country as the contest boils up.
The winner in today’s encounters will progress into the next stage of the competition hence; if the normal period of play will fail to separate the two sides, penalty shootouts will be entertained.
As such; this is the best opportunity for Simba to begin their ASFC title defence in style knowing in advance that they already declared to defend all the silverwares they clinched last season.
Their Spanish coach Pablo Franco once admitted that retaining the ASFC title is among the top priorities he has been tasked to achieve at the helm of the club as such, his journey to implement that begins today.
However, facing JKT Tanzania who trade in the Championship is a tricky fixture for the reigning champions bearing in mind that they have once or twice be eliminated at this stage in the contest by championship teams.
The Msimbazi Street Reds will therefore try to replicate massive performance displayed during the recent traditional derby encounter at the same venue which elapsed goalless in order to subdue their opponents.
For JKT Tanzania, they are not a bad side and will try to use this chance to make it big into the competition of which they can manage only if they will play their cards well.
They currently occupy fourth place in the 16-team championship table with 19 points from eleven games as they intensify their battles to earn NBC Premier League promotion next season.
Other venues to stage ASFC games today include Mkwakwani Stadium in Tanga where hosts Coastal Union will welcome Fountain Gate while at Ushirika Stadium in Kilimanjaro, Polisi Tanzania will face Kengold.
At Sokoine Stadium in Mbeya, owners Mbeya Kwanza will entertain Mwadui while Ruvu Shooting will be at their Mabatini Stadium in Coast region taking on Gwambina.
At Ilulu Stadium in Lindi, Namungo will entertain Mashujaa while Dodoma Jiji will be at their turf Jamhuri Stadium locking horns with Pan African.
The fixtures will continue tomorrow at eleven different playing venues across the country with the big one attracting Young Africans versus Ihefu at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in the city.
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