THE long wait for the Dar es Salaam Derby between Young Africans and Simba is over as they meet at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam today.
It is a game which usually puts the nation on a standstill as people spare their precious 90 minutes to have a glimpse of the highly competitive Premier League fixture.
As they lock horns, only conceded goals are what separate them, as Simba conceded two goals against four conceded by their traditional rivals from five league encounters of the season.
A winning side today will establish a three-point gap at the summit of the table as currently, each has collected 13 points to make the scale stand in balance.
However, at a pre-match briefing yesterday, Yanga Head Coach Nasreddine Nabi said his charges are ready for the match despite stamping unconvincing results in the Champions League.
"This is a big match which comes after our elimination in the Champions League. We have prepared well as a team on all areas while respecting the nature of our colleagues," he said.
Adding, the Tunisian trainer said they have forgotten about previous derby results insisting that this is a new game which requires fresh approach.
He then seized the platform to rule out Bernard Morrison from the match saying he is still serving suspension while Salum Abubakar 'Sure Boy' has a 50-50 chance to be featured.
His midfielder Zawadi Mauya also insisted that to the side of players, each of them is eager to get a playing time saying no player would like to miss out an opportunity to play during derby clashes.
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"We just need our fans to come out in big number and support us because their presence in the stadium is a catalyst for us to work hard on the pitch," he said.
On his part, Simba caretaker Coach Juma Mgunda also cemented that they are fully ready for the match and their focus is to generate maximum points.
"This is a derby and our preparations have focused on the intensity of the match itself. It has never been an easy game for the two teams but we have done our homework well and ready for the tense battle," Mgunda said.
This is the first derby clash for the former Coastal Union coach at the helm of the Reds and he is looking forward to maintain his unbeaten status ever since landing at the club.
Also, Assistant Captain Mohamed Hussein pointed out that they have grasped well whatever their coaches have tasked them to do throughout the match.
