The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
Majuto Omary
10 May 2008
Yesterday's Taifa Cup soccer matches could not take place as scheduled following heavy rains.
The water-logged pitch was unfit for holding matches between Kilimanjaro and Coast regions, as well as Morogoro vs Dodoma.
Hundreds of spectators turned up at the National Stadium in readiness for the matches but just had to board buses for home after an afternoon downpour.
The stadium which had undergone major renovations to bring it to international standards, is often in an unacceptable state with rains.
Several premier league matches had to be postponed in recent months.
Frederick Mwakalebela, executive secretary for the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF), said the matches will be played today at the same venue.
The stadium management was making efforts to drain the pitch.
The stadium does not have a water displacing design, hence tending to get flooded once it rains.
Yesterday's matches will be played in the morning with Kilimanjaro taking on Coast at 08:00am the TFF official further noted.
Morogoro will battle it out against Dodoma at 10:0 while the last match of the day will pit Mbeya against Temeke at 02:00pm.
The tourney has brought together 23 regional combined teams competing for top honours.
The event is being played on a knock-out basis and already some participating teams have packed their bags back to their respective regions.
Eliminated teams include hard fighting Kigoma, defeated by Ruvuma, others beingTanga and Manyara.
Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Abbas Kandoro has meanwhile warned the Ilala combined team against relaxing owing to their recent 10-1 downhill ride against Lindi.
"They should maintain the pace in the following matches despite the fact that they may have struck an awesome note,"
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