What looked like something that would be the inevitable was finally made official following a dire performance at Azam Complex Stadium, leaving their status in the Championship League official for next season.
Mbwana Makata-coached Ruvu Shooting, now placed at the bottom of the Premier League, find themselves nine points off Mtibwa Sugar sitting 14th with two games remaining, meaning the former's five-year stay in the top division is over.
The Mlandizi-based side had just two shots on target in a game they had to win on Friday, frustrating fans that were left more disappointed than angered.
The club has a huge rebuild ahead of it as the outfit is in search of a new permanent coach, with Makata, who is on a deal until the end of the season, likely to be replaced.
They have been through two coaches this season, starting with Charles Boniface Mkwasa before he mutually parted ways with the club in December, with Makata appointed.
As a team and a club overall Ruvu Shooting will think about the season. Have decisions been right? Have they been good enough on the pitch?
Talking to those close to Ruvu Shooting including the coach Mkwasa, from the first day of pre-season a soccer fanatic could feel that the standard of the club slipped away and that is why the season has ended with a return to the second tier.
Friday marked the side's latest disappointment as the club lost 3-0 to a Simba SC side with nothing to play for, with the latter's Zambian midfielder Clatous Chama opening the scoring just after the half-hour mark.
Ruvu Shooting barely threatened against Simba SC, coached by Roberto Oliveira "Robertinho", with Senegalese winger Pape Sakho coming from the bench to make it 2-0 in the 73rd minute, before striking the final nail on the former's coffin in the last minute of added time.
Masau Bwire, Ruvu Shooting spokesman, had confidently said the club will go down with a fight rather than a whimper when relegation was staring at them with three games to go last month.
In his typical lyrical prowess, Bwire said nine points will be enough to avoid dropping to the Championship League next season.
The official said: "We have not given up yet and we are urging our stakeholders, followers, and fans of Ruvu Shooting not to give up, we still have a chance. At the moment we are fighting on all frontiers, we are in prayers, we are in ordinary prayers, we are even preparing the squad in alternative ways, probably better than what was happening before."
"We are in that attitude at the moment, that we should do everything possible so that we can earn nine points in these three remaining matches.
The official stressed: If you look at the way these other teams are doing as well, then nine points will be enough to keep us in the Premier League next season. So we have not given up and we will not give up as long as we still have a chance."
However, the loss to Simba SC summed up Ruvu Shooting's season. The possession stats showed Simba SC had 76 percent of the ball despite being in second gear.
The full-time whistle saw Ruvu Shooting players fall to the floor at Azam Complex Stadium in apparent disappointment but, in truth, the club's fate was accepted a week ago after losing to Azam FC and preparation for the Championship League can now commence.
The club stepped one foot into the Championship League a few weeks back when they played at home to Kagera Sugar.
They lost that crucial battle with Kagera Sugar, and as a result, had very little hope of surviving.
They also lost 3-1 to fellow strugglers Tanzania Prisons last time out, a loss which threw the former deeper into trouble.
With two games left to play, Ruvu Shooting's numbers make grim reading. They have kept just six clean sheets from 28 matches and with 39 goals conceded only two teams have a worse defensive record.
They have won a league-low five games all season and lost the highest number of games including five of their past six matches.
Keen observers of this season's NBC Premier League knew this was coming, long before Friday's result.
Many would argue the writing was on the wall after Ruvu Shooting survived relegation on the final day of the last three previous campaigns.
The Coast Region squad's management debated sacking Mkwasa last season but stuck with him because he was working on a tight budget and there were no funds to recruit ahead of this season's campaign.
Instead, Mkwasa had to scavenge rejects from other clubs and a few youngsters. The squad had too many past their-sell-date veterans and inexperienced youngsters.
During mid-season when Mkwasa threw in the towel, most feared the worst after they failed to sign a proven striker.
Moves for decent players did not materialize because of funds and, instead, they signed the likes of Atupele Green who had not played for more than a season, and Evarigistus Mujwahuzi who was deemed surplus to requirements at Ihefu SC.
Things looked ominous for Makata from the moment his club settled for a draw with Mtibwa Sugar, his first home game in charge.
They failed to win the following four matches. Results have not improved under Makata as he has won only two games out of the 13 league outings since he took over.
Like his predecessor, Makata could only work with what he had. The squad was not good enough for the Premier League.
Ruvu Shooting’s budget was cut off when the army opted to fund only one club, JKT Tanzania, winners of this season's Championship League.
The change of policy meant Ruvu Shooting's budget was greatly affected and even with an improved broadcasting deal they could not keep up with competitive wages offered by competitors.
Ever since they have been playing cat and mouse with other clubs for some time now and the cat has caught up with the mouse.
They had become a stepping stone for youngsters who were picked by other clubs as soon as they blossomed.
Promising forward David Ulomi who was the side’s top goal scorer in the 2020/21 campaign was, for example, poached away by Dodoma Jiji FC.
Right fullback Nathaniel Chilambo, who was one of the outstanding youngsters for Ruvu Shooting last season was signed by Azam FC.
When a team hardly spends or invests in the future, the club can hardly always get away with it.
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