Football: Burundi and Tanzania start new seasons
Cairo, Egypt (PANA) - The Burundian and Tanzanian Premier Leagues were the first on the continent to kick off their 2020/21 seasons after the heavy disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to a story on the website of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the two East African nations were also the first to resume for the remainder of the 2019/20 seasons in July.
On Saturday, Burundi got the new campaign off positively, with defending champions, La Messager Ngozi, losing 3-0 away to Flambeau Du Centre. Ngozi are preparing for their maiden Total CAF Champions League campaign and the heavy defeat was a wake-up call.
In other fixtures, Musongati, who will play in next season’s Total CAF Confederation Cup won 1-0 at home against Inter Star. Musongati have so far picked two consecutive wins this season, having beaten Ngozi 2-1 in the season-opening Super Cup.
Former champions, Aigle Noir, were 2-1 victors over Olympic Star while Vital’O suffered a 2-0 defeat at home against Rukinzo.
Meanwhile in Tanzania, the return of top flight football was greeted by full to capacity crowds across the country.
Defending champions Simba SC were off to a flying start, winning 2-1 against league newcomers, Iheafu in Mbeya.
Elsewhere, Simba’s arch rivals Yanga, started their campaign on a low, after drawing 1-1 at home against Tanzania Prisons at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
In Monday’s fixtures, Kinondoni Municipal Council (KMC) picked up the biggest win of the opening weekend with a 4-0 thrashing of Mbeya City at the Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam while Azam went off 1-0 winners against Polisi Tanzania courtesy of Obrey Chirwa’s solo strike.
-0- PANA VAO 9Sept2020
