AfricaPress-Tanzania: DAR ES SALAAM football giants Simba, Young Africans will be making Premier League re-starts in separate venues and dates, according to the league’s new fixture.
Young Africans will be away in Shinyanga on June 13th facing Mwadui FC at CCM Kambarage Stadium in one of the two matches to be played on the day when the Mainland Premier League season resumes after a ten-week hiatus.
On the same day, Coastal Union will be at home Mkwakwani Stadium in Tanga hosting Namungo FC with each team eager to claim vital three points to maintain ascending to the summit of the league table.
However, the reigning champions Simba will restart title hunting mission by welcoming Ruvu Shooting on June 14th at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam while Azam will entertain Mbao FC at their Azam Complex Stadium in the city.
This was confirmed yesterday by the Tanzania Premier League Board (TPLB), Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Almas Kasongo who said the match between Simba and Ruvu Shooting is yet to be given starting time due to problems of lights at the hosting venue.
“We are yet to mention the timing of Simba against Ruvu Shooting since the National Stadium is having light problems but we are closely monitoring the situation to know if the game will be played in the evening or not.
“Azam have assured us that their arena is fit to host matches after undergoing maintenance for sometimes that is why we have allowed them to play their remaining encounters at their turf,” he lamented.
Moreover, Kasongo said the first two days of league resumption will specifically involve completing the matches on hand left by the concerned teams and that normal flow of the league fixtures will begin on June 20th.
“By June 20th, each team on the log will have equal number of played games and thereby enabling the fixtures to unfold normally until July 26th when the season will be completed,” he said.
According to him, league’s play-off first legs between two teams from the top flight league and two teams from the First Division League (FDL), will be played on July 29th after the end of the season and that the return legs will be held on August 1st.
“Two teams from the play-offs will be licensed to play in the top flight league next season,” said he.
Again, the TPLB boss pointed out that FDL matches will resume on June 19th and end on July 12th while First Division League (FDL) will restart on June 27th and completed on June 28th saying each team remained with a game to play.
Recently, the government permitted all the league matches to attract supporters but stressed that the one meter distance between one person and the other plus putting on masks and washing hands before going into the stadiums to be extremely respected.
