Dar es Salaam. It’s not just another football match. It’s not just another Kariakoo Derby.
This is the final act of the 2024/25 Tanzanian Premier League season a 90 minute showdown where history, pride, legacy and the league title all hang in the balance.
Tomorrow evening, Wednesday June 25, at a fully packed Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, archrivals Simba SC and Yanga SC will lock horns in a match that promises drama, electricity and unforgettable football.
For the first time in recent memory, the league crown will be decided on derby day. The stakes couldn’t be higher.
Yanga enter the match at the top with 79 points from 29 games. Simba trail them by just one point, sitting at 78.
The equation is painfully simple the winner walks away with the championship.
Simba: Redemption in Their Blood
For Simba SC, this isn’t just about lifting silverware it’s about revenge, redemption, and restoring a lost kingdom.
After watching Yanga claim the title for three consecutive seasons, the Msimbazi giants are back in the spotlight reinvented and reinvigorated under Fadlu Davids, the South African tactician who has engineered a remarkable turnaround.
Simba have scored 69 goals in 29 matches, averaging 2.37 goals per game, while conceding only 11 one of their best defensive records in years.
They’ve played with structure, precision, and controlled aggression, shifting smoothly from Davids’ preferred 4-2-3-1 shape into a dynamic 4-3-3 when launching attacks.
At the centre of their brilliance is Jean Charles Ahoua, the Ivorian midfield maestro who has lit up the league with 16 goals, leading the Golden Boot race.
His timing, creativity, and lethal finishing have made him Simba’s most valuable asset.
Flanking him are Steven Mukwala and Leonel Ateba, each with 13 goals to their name.
Together, the trio has been responsible for 64 percent of Simba’s goals a stunning indicator of efficiency and chemistry in the final third.
“If someone told me we’d have one game to win the title I’d have taken it immediately,” said coach Davids on the eve of the clash. “This is what we live for. This is the moment to define ourselves.”
Ahoua struck a similar tone, calm and calculated: “No pressure. We’ve bled for this all season. Now it’s time to collect what we’ve earned.”
Mukwala, ever passionate, added: “We’re not just playing for a trophy we’re playing for three years of pain. This is personal.”
Yanga: The Crown Is Theirs to Lose
Yet, standing in their path is a side that knows how to win and defend: Yanga SC, the reigning champions, chasing an unprecedented fourth consecutive title.
Despite a season of managerial turmoil cycling through Miguel Gamondi, Sead Ramovic, and now Miloud Hamdi Yanga have remained rock-solid on the pitch.
They’ve scored a league-best 81 goals and conceded just 10 the tightest defense in the league.
If they win tomorrow, they’ll finish on 82 points, beating their own total from last season and further entrenching their legacy as one of the greatest sides in the club’s rich history.
Leading the charge are attackers Prince Dube and Clement Mzize, both with 13 goals this season.
They’ve stepped up in the absence of former MVP Stephane Aziz Ki, who left for Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca in April after tallying 9 goals and 7 assists.
Behind the frontmen is the unpredictable and highly talented Pacome Zouzoua, who has 11 goals and 9 assists.
He’s been the creative engine, the silent assassin, the man Yanga trust with their biggest moments.
Coach Hamdi has had limited time to leave his mark, but he’s focused on efficiency over revolution.
“When I came in, I saw a team that didn’t need an overhaul,” said Hamdi. “We refined a few areas, especially at the back, and built on the existing strengths. The result speaks for itself.”
He also praised the emotional pull of the club’s fan base:
“I’ve coached across Europe and Africa but Yanga fans? They’re different. You feel you owe them. And we intend to repay that loyalty tomorrow.”
A Nation Awaits
The gravity of this match extends beyond the 90 minutes of action. Over 60,000 fans are expected to flood Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.
Streets in Kariakoo and beyond will fall silent or erupt depending on the outcome. Millions more will be glued to screens across Tanzania, East Africa, and the continent.
According to league history, the two sides have met 112 times in league action since 1965.
Yanga have the edge with 39 wins, Simba have 32, and 41 meetings ended in stalemates. Yanga have scored 118 goals in those encounters, Simba 104.
But tomorrow, none of those numbers matter.
Only one number will matter at full time: the number of points and who holds the trophy.
Tension surrounds every camp. Yanga’s Prince Dube reportedly picked up a knock in training, though his availability remains likely.
Simba, on the other hand, are coming in with full momentum, driven by the pain of the past and the lure of a brighter tomorrow.
