Mashujaa FC will seek to maintain its winning start to the NBC Premier League season when it takes on Fountain Gate tomorrow at Sheikh Amri Abeid Stadium in Arusha.
The visitors head into the second-round encounter with confidence after opening their campaign with a 1-0 away victory over Coastal Union. Fountain Gate, meanwhile, will be under pressure to respond after suffering a 3-0 defeat to Singida Black Stars in their opening match.
Mashujaa manager Amir Athumani said the victory over Coastal Union had provided an early boost to the team’s confidence, particularly among the club’s young players.
He said the result also demonstrated that Mashujaa could compete effectively away from home, but warned his players against complacency ahead of the Fountain Gate test.
“We thank God for securing three points away from home. It was not an easy achievement because Coastal Union are a good team with many young players. We went into the match aware of their strengths and approached it with caution,” Athumani said.
He added that the opening victory had given the players greater belief in their abilities and offered the technical bench an early indication of the team’s potential this season.
“The result has helped us assess where we are and the ability of our young players. It has given them the confidence and morale to believe that we can achieve more than we have so far,” he said.
Athumani said Mashujaa had stepped up preparations for the Arusha encounter and would maintain a cautious approach while targeting another positive result.
“We know Fountain Gate will be determined to recover from their opening defeat, so we must remain focused throughout the match. Our objective is to continue building on the good start we have made,” he said.
The encounter presents contrasting ambitions, with Mashujaa seeking to strengthen its early momentum and Fountain Gate aiming to put its opening-day setback behind it.
With both sides having plenty to prove, the match is expected to provide an early test of their consistency as the NBC Premier League season gathers pace.
