Fadlu Makes Bullish Title Claim Ahead Of Kariakoo Derby
Simba SC coach Fadlu Davids has made a bold title claim and sent a strong message to their fierce rivals Young Africans ahead of their crucial top-of-the-table blockbuster clash in the Kariakoo derby on Saturday (18:15).
The two Tanzanian powerhouses will do battle at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium for important three points which could set the tone in the race for the NBC Premier League supremacy.
Yanga won the first league meeting thanks to Maxi Nzengeli’s 89th minute goal in October last year.
Additionally, Nzengeli was the solitary goal scorer when Yanga defeated Simba in Davids’ competitive debut match in the Community Shield semifinals in August 2024, as the side led by Miguel Gamondi at the time went all the way to lift the trophy.
Now, with the Reds Of Msimbazi competing on all fronts, the South African mentor says they are keen to stamp their authority in all competitions but insists the league title is the main prize as it mirrors the true progress of the team.
“We are involved in three competitions; the CAF Confederations Cup is very important to us, and we want to go as far as possible, and we have the CRDB Cup. The league is always the most important indicator of where you are as a club and yes, it’s a big and important match [vs Yanga] where both teams are fighting for the title,” Davids said.
Despite heading into the much-anticipated derby on the backfoot with four points behind Young Africans, who have accumulated 58 points with an extra game played, Davids claims the race to the promised land will go down to the wire.
“But I firmly believe that this title will be won on the last day of the season, it’s been going head-to-head. Perhaps Yanga did not expect us to be this close to them at this stage of the season, but we are there, and we will be there right at the end of the season,” he asserted.
“I think the league will be decided with Yanga against Dodoma Jiji FC and Simba against Kagera Sugar in the last match of the season and we will be there with each other. Yes, it’s an important match especially if you discuss goal difference.
“For example, if we score six goals [we improve our GD] and we will take all of that into consideration. But like I said, this is a match where we were a good team in the beginning of the season [and] if you take this moment, we are a better team than we were when we played the previous derbies.”
The 43-year-old tactician is adamant his charges will continue being on an upward trajectory with one goal in mind.
“We will continue to improve towards the end of the season and in the new season by thinking about being champions,” added Davids.
Yanga have won the last four championships in Tanzania and claimed the Kariakoo bragging rights three times in the last five league meetings between the two teams, including drubbing their archrivals 5-1 in November 2023 – a dominance Davids is eager to end.
“We want to do it for our fans because it’s a very emotional part and Tanzania is split halfway through the middle and for them to go through what they went through in the last derbies, of course it’s not good – the players and we as the technical team know this,” he vowed.
