Simba SC Communication Officer Haji Manara has promised his counterparts from Yanga SC Antonio Nugaz and Hassan Bumbuli Tsh1 million each if the league champions fall to their sworn rivals on Sunday.
The two teams will play each other in the FA Cup semi-final at the National Stadium with the winner playing Namungo FC in the final. The outspoken official is confident Wekundu wa Msimbazi will eliminate the Jangwani based side from the competition.
“We are coming into this match knowing we have a target of winning a double this season,” Manara told reporters on Saturday.
“We have depth in our team as compared to our opponents and it is the reason why we have been rotating the players. To win competitions you must have enough depth and it is our main advantage.
“If we lose against Yanga, I will give [their officials Antonio Nugaz and Hassan Bumbuli] TSh1 million each.”
It will be the third meeting between the two giants this season with the first round fixture ending 2-2 while Yanga turned on the screw in the second-round contest to win 1-0 courtesy of a goal from Bernard Morrison.
However, the official insists Timu ya Wananchi won the last game by fluke and have no chance of achieving the fete.
“I understand they defeated us in our last meeting in the league, but as I have been saying, a fluke does not happen twice,” Manara continued.
“I am confident we will win this game because we have really prepared for it. No doubt about it, we will defeat Yanga; actually we will get early goals, I am very optimistic and confident.”
On Saturday, Namungo made it to the final with a slim 1-0 win against minnows Sahare All-Stars.
The two teams were meeting for the first time in the competition’s history, but it was the top-flight side that came into the match as clear favourites.
All-Stars had sealed the semi-final berth after eliminating Ndanda FC in a shootout while Namungo defeated Alliance FC 2-0 on their way to the last four. On paper, it looked like an easy match for the league’s fourth-placed side.
The first-half was a balanced affair with both teams playing cautiously to avoid conceding.
After putting up a brave fight for the better part of the game, a Sahare concentration lapse allowed the opponents to get what turned out to be the winning goal when Charles Manyama managed to beat the custodian and break the hearts of the fans of the second-tier side.
Despite putting up a spirited performance to get an equalizer, perhaps a lack of experience in top-flight football and poor finishing came back to haunt Sahare All-Stars.
Be the first to comment