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Yanga seek Tusker challenge Cup glory
2007-08-11 08:30:24
By Emmanuel Chacha,Mwanza
Yanga are set to clinch their first ever Tusker Challenge Cup when they play Mtibwa Sugar in a crucial final match at the CCM Kirumba Stadium today.
Both teams have never won the title since the tourney was introduced in 2001. Yanga`s arch-rivals Simba have been dominant by winning it four times consecutively before Kagera Sugar won it last year.
Yanga, who have been diligently fighting for the title for the last six years, have vowed to lift the cup this year.
They claim Mtibwa Sugar have no power to stop them.
Speaking after their semi final match against Tusker of Kenya, Yanga coach Razak Siwa boasted that the work was over as they would secure the title comfortably.
`As I said before, there is no team which will stop us from winning the title this year.
We are well prepared, all players are in shape to beat the sugar men,`Siwa claimed.
Mtibwa Sugar coach Abdallah Kibadeni said only 90 minutes would decide the winner, adding that his squad was fit to display an excellent game.
He said previous matches had helped him know the squad which will face Yanga today.
`In football records are broken. I want to make history at Mtibwa by awarding them this cup and finish Simba and Yanga supremacy in Tanzania football,` Kibadeni said.
Yanga thumped Mtibwa Sugar 2-1 in the Group B preliminary match.
Mtibwa Sugar have never defeated Yanga in the last three years.
Yanga fans are confident to lift the trophy but sports analysts say in football you can not judge on history.
Mtibwa Sugar whipped Prisons 2-1 to have their final ticket while Yanga had to wait for the penalty shoot-out to assure them to reach the final after a 1-1 draw against Tusker in a thrilling match. Yanga won 4-2.
Winners will be awarded 25m/- while the second and third winners would take home 10m/- and 5m/- respectively.
The most disciplined team will be given 2m/- while the best scorer will pocket 1.5m/-.
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