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Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania Mainland Premier League appears to have turned into a three-horse race, with Young Africans (Yanga), Azam FC and Simba engaging in stiff competition for the top three positions.
The three teams are the only ones with the chance of winning this season’s title due to the number of the points they have accumulated.
Yanga are at the top with 55 points from 21 matches, four points behind Azam FC who are second with 51 points from 23 matches.
The Jangwani Street giants also are nine points ahead of Simba who are third with 46 points from 20 matches.
Arithmetically, Yanga stand a chance to collect 82 points if they are to win all of their remaining nine matches in the league while Azam FC will beat Yanga’s current points (55) if they win all of their remaining seven matches.
The ice cream-makers can collect 72 points in total while Simba, despite being in the position to dislodge Yanga from the top seat if they win all of their remaining 10 matches, will collect 76 points.
Statistics show that fourth placed Coastal Union with 33 points can leapfrog Simba and Azam FC if the Tanga based team will win all of their remaining seven matches.
However, the team cannot beat Yanga at the top due to the fact that they will end up with 54 points, one point behind the Jangwani Street giants.
The current league standings show that Kinondoni Municipal Council (KMC), who are in the fifth position with 32 points, can collect up to 53 points if they win all of their remaining seven matches.
The league trend shows that already 11 teams are in different statuses as there are those that aim to end the league as top five finishers while others fight to avoid relegation.
So far, Mtibwa Sugar FC, Tabora United, Mashujaa FC, Tabora United and JKT Tanzania are fighting for their survival in the league. The four teams are placed in four positions from the bottom of the league log as the league gains momentum.
Despite the fact football sometimes has strange results, Mtibwa Sugar, who won the title in 1999 and 2000, will need to play their cards well to avoid relegation as they hold the tail with 17 points from 22 matches.
Records show that Mtibwa Sugar, during the 2021/2022 season, featured in the relegation playoff and managed to remain in the Premiership after doing well.
Tabora United are placed 15th with 22 points from 23 matches while Mashujaa FC sit 14th with 22 points from 23 matches and JKT Tanzania are placed 13th with 22 points from 22 matches.
Aziz Ki leads golden boot race
As the league continues tomorrow for the match of traditional rivals, Yanga and Simba, at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, attacking midfielder Stephane Aziz Ki is leading the Golden Boot award race.
Azizi Ki, who plays for Yanga, has so far scored 14 goals in the 21 matches that his team has played.
The Burkinabe is followed by Azam FC attacking midfielder Feisal Salum with 13 goals while KMC striker Waziri Junior is third with 11 goals.
Another Yanga attacking midfielder Maxi Nzengeli is fourth with nine goals while former Simba striker Jean Baleke of DR Congo, Togolese Marouf Tchakei, Mudathir Yahaya (Yanga) and Samson Mbagula of Tanzania Prisons have each scored eight goals.
However, Baleke is not featuring in the Mainland Tanzania Premier league. Players who have each scored seven goals are Pacome Zouzoua (Yanga), Prince Dube (Azam FC), Adam Adam (Mashujaa FC), Saido Ntibazonkiza and Clatous Chama, both of Simba.
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