Former Tanzania footballers have warned Simba and Yanga that they must raise their performance and maintain concentration if they are to survive their respective African club competitions this weekend.
Yanga face Botswana’s Gaborone United tomorrow at Azam Complex, Chamazi, knowing that victory is crucial after the two sides drew 1-1 in the first leg.
Simba, meanwhile, have a tougher task when they host Malawi’s Mighty Wanderers the following day, having lost 1-0 in the opening leg.
The former players said the Tanzanian giants cannot afford to repeat the below-par performances they produced in their previous matches, urging the players to show greater commitment and discipline.
Former player Mohamed Mmachinga said hard work and a change in approach would be key to both teams’ chances of advancing.
He warned that their continental ambitions could be cut short if they fail to improve.
“They must give everything on the pitch. If they play the way they did in their previous matches, they will not go far in these competitions. They have to change,” Mmachinga said.
His comments come as Yanga prepare for a decisive home tie in which they need a positive result to move into the next stage, while Simba must overturn their first-leg deficit.
Former goalkeeper Steve Nemes, meanwhile, placed particular emphasis on defensive organisation, urging goalkeepers to take charge of their backlines.
Nemes said Simba and Yanga should not underestimate their opponents simply because they are regarded as less established teams.
He warned that both Gaborone United and Mighty Wanderers could adopt an attacking approach in the return legs, making defensive concentration and marking especially important.
“The goalkeepers must be alert and organise their defenders properly because these teams will not come just to defend. They will also attack,” Nemes said.
He added that defenders must maintain close marking and avoid lapses in concentration, saying underestimating the opposition could prove costly.
With little separating the teams in both ties, the former players believe discipline, tactical execution and greater effort could determine whether Simba and Yanga continue their continental campaigns or make early exits.