Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) yesterday released the league’s fixtures which show that the country’s most fancied clubs, Simba and Yanga, will open up their campaign against Ndanda FC and African Lyon on August 20 and 28 respectively.
Defending champions, Young Africans will not be in action in the opening weekend due to their participation in the last eight of CAF Confederation Cup. The Mainland envoys are scheduled to visit TP Mazembe for the final group A match on August 23.
Yanga’s opening game was supposed to be against JKT Ruvu, but TFF apparently pushed it back to August 30 (the first match to be played in midweek), to give the Hans Van der Pluijm’s charges enough time to prepare for the continental assignment.
A total of seven games are on menu during the opening weekend, with last season’s runners-up Azam taking on African Lyon, who have won promotion back into the top flight league after three season in the lower division.
League debutant Mbao FC of Mwanza will make a short trip to Shinyanga for their first ever game in the elite league against Stand United at Kambarage Stadium, while Toto African will play host to Mwadui FC at CCM Kirumba in Mwanza.
Mtibwa Sugar, who have hired back coach Salum Mayanga following the departure of Mecky Mexime, are at home against Ruvu Shooting in the first weekend, at Manungu ground, while Majimaji and Tanzania Prisons will lock horns at Majimaji Stadium in Songea.
Meanwhile, Mexime’s new side Kagera Sugar will play host to Mbeya City at Kaitaba Stadium. The league’s fixtures show that Simba will play their opening seven matches at home ground.
The second match will see the Msimbazi Street Reds entertain JKT Ruvu before they take on army wardens Ruvu Shooting, who return to the top flight football after spending last season in the first division.
The next two matches will present a litmus test for Simba’s credential in the 2016/17 season as they host Mtibwa Sugar and Azam FC, followed up by another home fixture against Majimaji. After the Dar es Salaam derby against Yanga on match-day seven, Simba will be on road for the first time with a trip to Tanzania Prisons, with the fixture’s date to be announced.
By then, Yanga will have played three games away from home. After two opening games against African Lyon and JKT Ruvu, the reigning champions will travel to Mtwara to face hosts Ndanda FC, followed by a home game against Majimaji with their next fixture taking the holders to Shinyanga for two games against Mwadui and Stand United.
The league’s fixtures considered the Under-17 national team, Serengeti Boys CAF qualifying match against their South African compatriots salted for August and the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier between Taifa Stars and Nigeria due on September 2.
The league will take a weeklong break between October 3 and 11 to pave way for international friendlies. The first phase of the league will climax on November 6. The traditional curtain raiser to the new season, the Community Shield match, pitting league and Federation Cup champions Young Africans and league and runners-up Azam FC will be played on August 17.
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