Soccer league resumes

Holders Simba take on second from bottom of the standings Majimaji in the final match to conclude the first half of the 2010/11 premiership season at the Majimaji Stadium in Songea tomorrow.

Four other matches will be played in Morogoro, Tanga, Dodoma and Arusha as the entire premiership fleet will be winding up the first legs.

Having created a two-point gap over rivals Young Africans after ten appearances, Simba will be looking forward to widen the leading margin as a title retention bid strategy.

Second placed Young Africans host visiting Toto from Mwanza at their adopted base in Morogoro’s Jamhuri Stadium.

Bottom placed AFC Arusha are at home to fifth placed Kagera Sugar at the Sheikh Amri Abeid Stadium while Police Dodoma and JKT Ruvu battle it out at the Jamhuri Stadium in Dodoma.

Fourth placed Azam FC host Ruvu Shooting at their adopted Mkwakwani Stadium in Tanga.

For the next two months, the league will be in recess to pave the way for the Tusker Challenge Cup and CECAFA Challenge Cup events running from November through December in Dar es Salaam.

Most of the premiership followers will be keeping attention to hear what Yanga and Simba have done in their matches to weigh the chances of either team’s status in the league.

Yanga have no option except to win over Toto should they maintain their chase to close up the two-point gap they trail from the holders.

In Songea, the host side Majimaji are certainly aware of their delicate position and a win would boost them from leapfrogging out of the relegation pool.

AFC Arusha, who have taken all the rights to lodge in the relegation pool during the first half of the season, have a tough battle to disengage.

A win would improve their feelings psychologically but they need more matches from the final half of the season beginning in January to make a breakthrough.

The battle for the third place is still between Azam and Mtibwa Sugar with the later having concluded their eleven matches for the first half of the season.

Mtibwa Sugar have opened a two-point gap over Azam who must pip Ruvu Shooting to regain their third place surrendered a couple of weeks ago.

The top two positions will still be under the dominance of Simba and Yanga unless the duo flops terribly in their next half of the season matches.

Attention of the football fans across the country will be shifted to the Challenge Cup tournament that gets underway on November 27.

Certainly some of the premiership players will be joining their respective national teams for preparations.