AfricaPress-Tanzania: AZAM FC will tonight play a build-up match against five-time CAF Champions League winners, Congolese TP Mazembe at Azam Complex in Chamazi in the outskirts of Dar es Salaam.
Mazembe are in the country for series of international football matches. They were invited by Tanzania Mainland champions, Simba Sports Club to play in their firstever introduced Simba Super Cup that ended on Sunday with the country’s flag bearers in the Continental club tournaments winning the title.
The Super Cup event also featured Sudanese Al- Hilal FC. The Congolese champions have therefore decided not to leave the country without playing one of the football big outfits, Azam FC in an international friendly match that will help them in their CAF Champions League campaign.
For Azam FC, who have eluded the international competitions for years, the match will help them to test their players’ fitness ahead of the resumption of the Mainland Premier League. Azam FC’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Abdulkarim Amin ‘Popat’ said that after playing a friendly game against KMC, the coach recommended for a yet another signal testing match.
“Initially, we wanted to have a friendly match on Wednesday but, fortunately, we have sourced this high profile friendly duel which will give us good preparations prior to the resumption of league games. “Our players will be subjected to a perfect test from one of the biggest clubs on the continent and we are happy for them to accept our request to play a friendly tie.
“They once hosted us in Lubumbashi, DR Congo that is why it was easy for them to nod to our request of which I believe that it will be a good match worth watching, and this is a platform to cement our relationship,” the CEO said.
Azam are third placed on the league log with 32 points from 17 games and are expected to face the defending champions Simba on February 7th at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam
