Simba Queens and Yanga Princess will renew their rivalry tomorrow when they meet in the second semi-final of the Community Shield at KMC Complex in Dar es Salaam, with both sides targeting a place in the final and an early statement ahead of the new Women’s Premier League season.
The match, scheduled for 6pm, is expected to attract considerable attention as the two traditional rivals seek to begin the new campaign with silverware.
The Community Shield tournament is being used to open the women's football season, with JKT Queens and Mashujaa Queens facing off in the first semi-final before the Simba Queens-Yanga Princess clash.
Simba Queens head coach Mussa Hassan Mgosi said his players were ready for the challenge and determined to win the trophy after a disappointing campaign in the CECAFA tournament.
“Our goal is to win the Shield. The technical bench and players have prepared well and we want to restore our reputation after performing poorly in the CECAFA tournament,” Mgosi said.
He said the squad was in good shape, with Elizabeth Wambui the only player ruled out through injury.
Simba Queens midfielder Fatma Issa said the players were highly motivated and ready to implement the technical bench's instructions.
She acknowledged that matches between the two sides were rarely straightforward, saying the team that made better use of its preparations would have an advantage.
Yanga Princess coach Edna Lema, meanwhile, admitted that her side had struggled for positive results in recent meetings with Simba Queens but said that would not affect their approach to tomorrow's encounter.
Lema described Simba Queens as a strong side and predicted a competitive contest between two teams that had prepared seriously for the tournament.
“I want to tell the Simba Queens coach and Simba fans not to come to the pitch with the result already decided. I will have questions for them after the match,” Lema said.
She said she had no injury concerns and that her squad was ready for selection.
Yanga Princess player Diana Mnaly said the match would provide an opportunity for the team to change its fortunes against Simba Queens.
She said the presence of several new players had not affected the team's confidence, with the squad focusing on both physical and mental preparation.
“We have prepared psychologically and mentally, trained sufficiently and are asking our fans to turn up in large numbers to motivate us so that we can perform well and get a positive result,” Diana said.
Earlier, JKT Queens will face Mashujaa Queens in the opening semi-final, with both teams also targeting a place in the final.
JKT Queens head coach Juma Kessy said his players were well prepared and expected to demonstrate the quality of the new signings brought into the squad this season.
JKT Queens player Anastazia Katunzi said the players understood the importance of the match and were ready to execute what they had been taught during training.
“JKT Queens is a big team and our opponents know that. We have prepared accordingly so that we can get a positive result,” Katunzi said.
Mashujaa Queens head coach Rajabu Bwanamkubwa said his team was targeting a historic victory despite facing a strong JKT Queens side.
He said Mashujaa would respect their opponents but would not be intimidated, adding that the team had prepared to compete for a place in the final.
Mashujaa captain Fatuma Salehe said preparations were complete and the players were entering the match with high morale and determination.