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Dar es Salaam. Who will win the derby today on April 20, 2024 between traditional rivals, Young Africans (Yanga) and Simba, at the 60,000-seater Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam?
It is a difficult question to know the answer by fans of the two teams, but the 90 minutes of the game, which kicks off at 5pm, will.
The question is challenging for various reasons, primarily based on the statuses of the two teams in the ongoing Mainland Premier League.
However, many predictions are in favour of Yanga, who won 5-1 in the first leg played at the same venue on November 5, 2023.
Those predictions also back the Jangwani Street giants due to their current top form in the league and their performance in the CAF Champions League knockout stage, from which they were eliminated on penalties by the in-form Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa after two goalless draws at home and away.
However, some football pundits do not agree on that, saying that when it comes to a derby, either of the teams can win regardless of their form.
It is normal for a top team to sometimes fail to shine against a lower-ranked side. This implies that despite Yanga being given a big chance to win because of their current form, it might not work out in today’s clash, as “football sometimes yields strange results.”
This suggests that Simba are also in the best position to avenge a 5-1 defeat.
The match will be their 112th in the league since 1965. Of the 111 matches played, Yanga registered 39 wins over Simba’s 32, with 40 draws.
Yanga also scored 118 goals against Simba’s 104 in their head-to-head. The Jangwani Street lads recorded 157 points against Simba’s 136.
So far, much has been said about the game, with fans of both teams bragging about their teams’ prowess.
Yanga fans take pride in their records against Simba, who have recently been eliminated from the CRDB Federation Cup, which determines the team to represent the country in the CAF Confederation Cup.
Yanga currently top the league standings with 55 points, nine ahead of Simba, who are placed third with 46 points.
Azam FC are second with 51 points from 23 matches played. Yanga go into the match with a bullish mood and their better win record than Simba, who, however, have made a swift recovery after a 1-1 draw against Ihefu FC, having previously lost 6-5 on penalties to Mashujaa FC in the CRDB Federation Cup.
If the Msimbazi Street giants lose the encounter, it will leave them uncertain about clinching the title or finishing second this season.
This is because if Yanga win, they will have an 85 percent chance of retaining the title for the third time in a row.
Azam FC, on the other hand, will be fighting for the second position against Simba, and according to the fixture, the teams will meet in their return leg.
Yanga head coach Miguel Gamondi said they are taking the match seriously, with their main focus on recording the best result.
Gamondi stated that his players are in top form and warned Simba, who, he believes, will fight hard to avenge the 5-1 defeat handed to them in the first leg.
“They will make a big mistake if their focus is on avenging the defeat. We will play our normal football, aiming to record another win and pave the way for the title,” said Gamondi.
Simba head coach Abdelhak Benchikha said they are targeting victory over Yanga to stay on track for the Mainland Premier League title.
“It is not going to be an easy match as we are facing a tough team. We will have to be very keen throughout the game and record the best result,” said Benchikha, who is facing Yanga for the first time in the Kariakoo derby.
Benchikha also led USM Alger to a 2-1 victory over Yanga in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup final at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium and lost 1-0 to Yanga in the return leg in Tunis, where Yanga, however, failed to win the title due to the away goal rule.
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