AFTER helping Ken Gold FC garner promotion to the 2024/25 NBC Premier League, the club's head coach Jumanne Challe has asserted the task's toughness, having failed to achieve the feat in previous attempts.

The newly-promoted side is also the winner of the second-tier soccer showpiece, NBC Championship League.

The squad had ended its campaign with 50 goals scored and 18 goals conceded from 29 games while drawing seven games, losing two, and getting 20 wins.

Last weekend, Ken Gold FC defeated FGA Talents to secure promotion to next season's NBC Premier League, with goals by Mishamo Michael and Robert Mickidala helping the Mbeya-based team live up to its expectations.

Ken Gold FC played three seasons in the Championship League after securing promotion from Mainland Tanzania’s third-tier soccer showpiece, then known as Second Division League- and currently termed First League.

The experienced gaffer stated: "As per my experience, the Championship League is very tough compared to other divisions in the country. We played against teams with premier league experience and were eager to return to the top flight. Matches against such teams were tough."

Challe remarked: "I have a group of amazing players who, throughout the season, stayed fit, trained intensively, and remained disciplined in the game- such an approach enabled us to secure promotion. We had aimed to finish either first or second to ensure automatic promotion."

The tactician noted: "Playing playoffs against premier league teams is tough, and we had to avoid that by having good preparations for this season, aiming to grace the premier league.”

“I want to thank the team's leaders for (setting up) the effective plans and strategy that smoothed our promotion," Challe revealed.

Ken Gold FC becomes the first team to secure promotion after picking 67 points that can only be secured by Pamba Jiji- formerly known as Pamba FC-, after close rivals, Biashara United, lost 2-1 to Pan Africans last weekend.

Pamba Jiji will need at least a draw in the club's last Championship League match to garner automatic promotion to the NBC Premier League next season and end the side's 20-year hiatus in the premier league.

With 64 points, the Mwanza team will need to avoid a loss, because Mbeya Kwanza FC also has a chance to attain automatic promotion- with the outfit now boasting 62 points and a match in hand.

Former NBC Premier League side Ruvu Shooting has been relegated to next season's First League after finishing last in the Championship League- having notched 13 points- while Pan Africans also face relegation.