Dar es Salaam. The NBC (Tanzania Mainland) Premier League is back after a month-long break for the Mapinduzi Cup, which took place in Zanzibar.
With the fierce competition that had been ongoing, fans are eagerly awaiting what will unfold in the league.
Ranked fourth in Africa and 57th globally for 2024 by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS), the league resumes on Saturday, February 1, 2025 with exciting matches.
After rising two places from its 2023 position, surpassing South Africa and Tunisia, the league is set to bring intense competition.
Yanga in a trap
After being eliminated from the CAF Champions League group stage, Yanga fans are keen to see how the team will perform in the domestic league as they aim to defend their third consecutive title.
With 30 league titles to their name, Yanga could leapfrog Simba into first place if they defeat Kagera Sugar on Saturday, February 1, at 4 PM EAT, following a previous encounter that ended 2-0 in their favor.
The team will then face KenGold on February 5, followed by a match against JKT Tanzania on February 10.
This game will be tough, as JKT has yet to lose a home game this season.
Yanga will also meet KMC on February 14, where they won 1-0 in the first round.
On February 23, they will face Mashujaa FC in Kigoma, with the last match being a 3-2 victory.
Yanga will finish February with a match against Pamba in Mwanza on the 28, having won the first round 4-0.
The month will culminate with a high-stakes encounter with Simba on March 8.
Simba’s fire
Simba, who are leading the table with 40 points—just one point ahead of Yanga, who have 39—face a tough challenge to maintain their top spot.
The team will play six matches in just three weeks.
Their campaign resumes on Sunday, February 2 against Tabora United at the Ali Hassan Mwinyi Stadium in Tabora.
The two teams met in Dar es Salaam last August, with Simba winning 3-0.
They will then head to Babati to face Fountain Gate on February 6, another team they triumphed over 4-0 in the first round.
After that, Simba will host Tanzania Prisons on February 11, having won their previous encounter 1-0.
Following this, they will meet Dodoma Jiji on February 15, where Simba also emerged victorious 1-0 earlier in the season.
Simba will then head to Namungo FC on February 19, with another solid 3-0 win in their previous encounter.
The team will wrap up the month with a “Dar es Salaam Derby” against Azam FC on February 24, with Simba winning the last match 2-0 in Zanzibar.
In their six upcoming matches, Simba remain undefeated with a strong goal-scoring record of 14 goals and no goals conceded.
The top four battle
Apart from Simba and Yanga, Azam FC, with 34 points, and Singida Black Stars, with 33 points, are both vying for a place in the top four.
Azam, under coach Rachid Taoussi, have been performing well, while Singida Black Stars, now coached by Miloud Hamdi, have their sights set on competing for the title, with new signings adding strength to their squad.
This second round promises to deliver a lot of excitement as these teams battle for supremacy.
The pressure is on, and football fans are in for a thrilling ride!
Serbia to the rescue at KenGold?
Another intriguing story is whether Serbian coach Vladislav Heric can turn around KenGold’s fortunes after a poor start to the season.
The club, which has struggled and is at the bottom of the table with only six points from 16 matches, appointed Heric in January.
The Serbian coach, who has previously managed clubs like Club Africain, Maritzburg United, and Polokwane City, is expected to bring much-needed change and help the club avoid relegation.
