Simba coach Didier Gomes Da Rosa has acknowledged they have been given a tough draw but insisted their target is to win all the trophies on offer this season.
“If we want to win the FA Cup then we would say Dodoma is a good draw but until now we have to fight against Dodoma, firstly it is a tough team and even if we won against them two times this season, I know they are a tough team and it is not easy to win against Dodoma,” Gomes told Simba Online TV.
“If we qualify we play against Azam, a very good team and you can see their last performance against Yanga they won 1-0, it is a tough draw but we want to win everything, every cup this year, it is very important to be champions of the league and to win the FA Cup, it is the best time to show Tanzanians that Simba is the best team in the country, so we are very ambitious.”
“As days go by, Yanga are getting better in the defensive area as is the case with Simba. Abdallah Shiabu [of Yanga] is improving and he can stop Simba during the game regardless of their attacking power.”
On his part, former Yanga striker Morris said that although Simba boast good midfielders, their slowness at the back could be exploited by Yanga on Saturday. Clatous Chama, Larry Bwalya, Bernard Morrison and Luis Miquissone have been the preferred men for Simba in the midfield while Serge Wawa and Joash Onyango have been regularly paired at the back.
“Simba have got good midfielders who constantly create chances and the strikers make use of those opportunities in most cases,” Morris said.
‘Kwani Wao Wanasemaje?’ (what is the other side saying) is the current line of online engagement between the red zone (read Simba fans) and the green zone (the Yanga SC support base).
The derby carries a lot of stakes with it given that a win will help Simba widen the gap at the top and a victory for the Jangwani club will be a huge step towards reclaiming the top spot as they hope to win the league title they last lifted three seasons ago.
Timu ya Wananchi must be on top of their game to contain a Simba side that is yet to be defeated in six local engagements.