With Mlandege leading the group with two points, it meant Sunday s winner would automatically qualify for the semi-final.
The Tanzanian heavyweights thought they scored in the second minute when Iddi Selemani tapped the ball on target, but the officials were not moved as they felt the ball did not cross the line while the replays suggested otherwise.
From that point onwards, both teams played cautiously to avoid conceding since it would have lowered their chances of making it to the next phase of the competition.
Seemingly, the match was headed for a goalless draw but Azam FC managed to get a penalty in the 60th minute.
The Sugar Millers came into the match hoping to get a win over the Tanzanian heavyweights after a slim 1-0 win over Chipukizi of Zanzibar.
The Msimbazi-based charges had also defeated the same opponent 3-1, meaning Saturday s winner was to qualify for the semi-final of the annual competition.
With last season s shock loss in mind, Simba ensured they started the game on a high and limited their opponents from getting in the danger zones or creating meaningful chances.
At the same time, the 21-time Tanzania Mainland League champions used every opportunity to try and get in scoring positions. It paid dividends after just six minutes.
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