Azam FC, Simba SC in Africa`s 400 best

Mainland champions Azam FC and Simba are among 408 well rated soccer clubs in the continent on the basis of a release by the African soccer body, CAF, yesterday.

TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo lead the list where top city club Young Africans (Yanga) did not make the list. 

The Africa football/soccer clubs ranking places Azam FC at 313 while Simba are slotted at number 318.

El Merreikh of Sudan are placed second and Esperance of Tunisia are third, followed by Raja Casablanca of Morocco and Al Hilal Omdurman of Sudan who are fifth.

The popular Al Ahly of Egypt made it to sixth place as their archrivals Zamalek FC are berthed at 14th slot. South African club Kaizer Chiefs are placed eighth while Mamelodi Sundowns are at 10th position.

The report says that Enyimba of Nigeria are now ranked 32nd on the continent.
Sofapaka of Kenya breathed into the rankings at 176th place while Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards also failed to make the chart.

Meanwhile, former Yanga assistant coach Kennedy Mwaisabula has said that it will be shameful if the club will not compete in the East and Central Africa Club Championship, the Kagame Cup.

The championship organized by the Council of East and Central Football Associations (Cecafa) will kick off from August 8-24 in Kigali.

Mwaisabula said that the tournament will be beneficial to Yanga if they will use it to test the ability and skills of new players,, especially Brazilians Genilson Santos Santana 'Jaja' and Andrey Marcel Ferreira Coutinho.

He said that claims by the club that were yet to get invitation from Cecafa were baseless as the council does not have to communicate with eligible clubs but via the member federation, the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF).

“Yanga should not beat around the bush because the Kagame Cup is staged every year and they were the Mainland Champions last year. So they have to represent the country,” Mwaisabula said, noting that competing in the championship will build their team well ahead of this year’s premier league.

He said that the fact that TFF postponed the Mainland Premier League kick off to allow its teams to compete in the Kagame Cup was enough message to Yanga that they should compete in the tourney.
The Mainland Premier League was postponed   from August 24 to September 20.