Simba SC momentum meets Prisons’ challenge

While Simba SC has won all of the club’s three league games so far, the hosts were beaten 3-1 by newly promoted Tabora United in their last outing to remain winless in this campaign.

Although it took a second-half goal to salvage a draw for Simba SC in their CAF Champions League Second Preliminary Round rematch against Zambia's Power Dynamos on Sunday, last season's league runners-up stretched their unbeaten start to the campaign to eight games in all competitions.

They started their NBC Premier League campaign with three straight wins- including last outing's ruthless destruction of Coastal Union at Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

As a result, Roberto ‘Robertinho’ Oliveira's side can now join Patrick Aussems' crop of 2019 in winning each of their first four matches in a league season - something achieved only three times before in the club's history.

Perhaps the perfect opponents appear on the schedule this weekend, as Simba SC will aim to make it five wins out of five recent league meetings with Prisons, averaging two goals per game and recording three clean sheets in the process.

In general, Simba SC has dominated this matchup historically with 13 wins, five draws, and only four defeats in the last 22 league meetings with Prisons.

Robertinho is expected to stick with his favored 4-2-3-1 formation on Thursday, with Congolese striker Jean Othos Baleke leading the line. Baleke will aim to enhance his tally of five goals and one assist.

Moroccan goalkeeper Ayoub Lakred will continue between the sticks. He is likely to be protected by the backline of Mohamed Hussein, Shomari Kapombe, Che Malone Fondoh, and Kennedy Juma.

In midfield, Mzamiru Yassin and Fabrice Ngoma are expected to continue in the engine room. Clatous Chama, Dennis Kibu, and Said Ntibazonkiza will support Baleke in the attack.

As for the hosts, the gulf in quality between the two teams is huge but the scent of resilience still lingers around Tanzania Prisons.

It is not as if Prisons, alias 'Wajelajela', were outclassed, as their commendable efforts against Azam FC and Tabora United saw both encounters end at a 3-1 margin.

Prisons' head coach Fred Felix had kicked off the season on a high with a hard-fought point on the road to Singida Fountain Gate FC, but such is the unpredictable nature of the Premier League. He now finds his side in the unenviable 16th spot.

This will be Prisons' first home match of the season. They will be determined to get at least a point out of this.

With history suggesting Prisons might have to wait a bit longer for that elusive win, a draw with Simba SC would feel like a triumph of one point gained.