While their rivals Simba continue to make noise ahead of Saturday’s NBC Premier League Kariakoo Derby at Uhuru Stadium on October 10, Yanga SC have chosen a different approach, quietly going about their preparations.
The defending NBC Premier League champions have set up camp at Avic Town, stepping up their preparations for the highly anticipated clash that has captured the attention of football fans across the country.
However, the build-up to this derby has taken a different shape for the two sides. Simba have dominated social media and various sports programmes, with many analysts giving them a greater chance of securing victory.
Yanga, on the other hand, have chosen to remain quiet.
Yanga Head of Information and Communications Ali Kamwe has refrained from discussing the match in detail or making statements that could give fans an indication of what they should expect from their team.
And that may well be the plan.
Those Small Odds Are Exactly What They Want
Being given a smaller chance of winning could reduce the pressure on Yanga heading into the match. With much of the attention focused on Simba and high expectations placed on their rivals, Yanga could enter the pitch carrying less weight of expectation.
For Simba, the situation could be different if things do not go according to expectations.
The pressure could increase significantly if the team widely tipped to win fails to get the desired result.
But beyond the opinions of analysts, this season’s statistics tell a different story.
The Numbers Favour Yanga
Both teams have made flying starts to the season. Simba and Yanga have won all six of their Mainland Premier League matches so far, with each side collecting 18 points. The difference lies in their goal records.
Yanga have scored 16 goals and conceded just two, while Simba have scored 11 and also conceded two.
Therefore, based on scoring figures and goal difference, Yanga head into the derby at the top of the standings.
The Community Shield Was a Warning from Yanga
If there is one thing that can give Yanga even more confidence, it is the result of their most recent meeting.
On August 12, the two teams met in the Community Shield at New Amaan Complex, where Yanga secured a 1-0 victory.
Interestingly, Yanga were also not widely favoured by some analysts in that match. Now, it seems that history is repeating itself in some way.
Once again, Yanga head into the match as the less-talked-about side, while Simba are receiving more attention.
The Wananchi’s Calmness Means Something
A look across social media makes it easy to see Yanga fans remaining calm ahead of the derby. They are not making much noise. They have nothing to prove.
They appear to have accepted the small chance they have been given, but behind that calmness could be one important factor: belief in the ability of their team.
And there is another statistic that cannot be ignored.
Across the last three consecutive seasons, Simba have failed to beat Yanga in the Mainland Premier League.
Yanga have beaten Simba four consecutive times, while the last two meetings ended in draws.
So, before looking at who the analysts are giving the greater percentage chance, recent derby history and this season’s statistics paint a different picture.
Perhaps Yanga do not need much noise ahead of Saturday. Those small odds they have been given may be exactly what they want most.
