Dar es Salaam. The highly anticipated match between Simba and Azam will take place on Monday, February 24, 2025, at 7 PM EAT, at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, instead of the KMC Complex.
This is another intense Dar es Salaam derby that holds significant stakes for this season’s championship race.
Without a doubt, the Simba against Azam clash always carries immense excitement and passion, lighting up the hearts of fans due to the fierce rivalry between the two teams since Azam joined the Premier League in 2008.
While these teams have met on various occasions in competitions such as the Community Shield, FA Cup, Mapinduzi Cup, Union Cup, and Kagame Cup, we will present the records from the 33 league encounters between them since the 2008-2009 season, when Azam made their top-flight debut.
What makes this encounter even more intriguing is that both teams are now under foreign coaches.
Azam are managed by Morocco’s Rachid Taoussi, while Simba are coached by South Africa’s Fadlu Davids, both facing off in their second Premier League meeting, with squads filled with talented players capable of deciding the outcome.
Dominance in head-to-head record
In the 33 meetings between the two teams, Simba have been the dominant force over Azam in several statistics.
Simba have won 15 matches compared to Azam’s six, and they also lead in goals scored, with 46 goals against Azam’s 29.
The teams have shared 12 draws in these encounters.
Overall, Simba have accumulated 57 points from these 33 games, while Azam has gathered 30 points, with their latest meeting in the first match of the season ending 2-0 in Simba’s favor at New Amaan Stadium.
Simba have suffered four home losses, drawn five, while losing only twice away from home, with seven draws on the road.
In contrast, Azam have lost eight times at home and seven times away, with seven draws at home and five away when facing Simba.
Three encounters have taken place outside Dar es Salaam, with the first occurring on September 11, 2010, at Mkwakwani Stadium in Tanga, Azam’s temporary home ground, where they lost 2-1 to Simba.
Another meeting ouside Dar es Salaam occurred on February 9 of the previous year at CCM Kirumba in Mwanza, which ended in a 1-1 draw, and this season, the teams faced off in Zanzibar, where Azam lost 2-0.
Additionally, one match between these teams was postponed and played two days later due to heavy rain; this was on March 30, 2009, and was the first encounter of the 2008-2009 season, where Azam lost 3-0 at home.
Record-breaking players
Jamal Mnyate, the former international winger, became the first player to score a goal in the Dar es Salaam derby.
He found the back of the net in the inaugural match between the two teams in the 2008-2009 season, on October 4, 2008, where Azam won 2-0 with Shekhan Rashid scoring the second goal from the penalty spot in stoppage time.
Mike Barasa from Kenya is the first player to score twice in a single match between these two teams, achieving this feat on March 14, 2010, when Simba won 2-0 away.
John Bocco ‘Adebayor’ holds the record for most goals scored in the derby with a total of eight goals—six of them for Azam and two for Simba after his transfer.
Meddie Kagere, also formerly of Simba, follows with five goals, while Kipre Tchetche of Azam scored four.
Prince Dube, now at Yanga, is also notable for scoring three goals in this fixture, following Kagere’s footsteps in scoring consistently against this fierce rival.
What to expect today?
This is the second meeting between Azam and Simba this season, with both teams under new coaching management and new players stepping up to determine the outcome.
In their first encounter, Simba triumphed 2-0 at New Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar.
Simba’s coach, Fadlu Davids, has transformed the team and will rely on key players like goalkeeper Moussa Camara, Leonel Ateba, Ellie Mpanzu, Charles Ahoua, Fabrice Ngoma, and others to continue their strong title challenge.
On the other hand, Azam, who are also in the title race under Rachid Taoussi, will count on players like Feisal Salum ‘Fei Toto,’ the team’s top scorer, along with other talented individuals such as Paschal Msindo, Idd Selemen ‘Nado,’ and Abdul Suleiman ‘Sopu.’
Taoussi has made it clear he is determined to ensure his team does not repeat the outcome of their last encounter with Simba in Zanzibar, aiming for a win to collect crucial points.
Meanwhile, Fadlu Davids views the match as a tough one, but Simba’s goal is to maintain their winning momentum as they aim for the championship
