THERE is no disputing the fact that football is the nation’s most dominant sporting passion.

The country’s two biggest football clubs are Simba and Young Africans, who each have extremely deep pockets as well as near-fanatical football supporters.

Interestingly, both Simba and Young Africans have an age-old rivalry which has produced many exhilarating football matchups between the two football juggernauts.

It should be noted here that both Young Africans and Simba are also the country’s two most successful football clubs both on the local scene and the ferociously competitive African football landscape.

Last Saturday, the two football powerhouses renewed their rivalry for the umpteenth time in a Mainland Premier League encounter dubbed the Dar es Salaam football derby.

Ahead of last Saturday’s enormous clash between the two football heavyweights, Young Africans had been in fifth place while Simba were in third place on the league’s standings.

Right from the off, the much-anticipated clash was a compelling affair that remained deadlocked at 0-0 until the dying minutes of the football contest.

Indeed, in the final moments of the interesting match, Young Africans netted the much sought-after winner, which condemned Simba to a 0-1 defeat.

Naturally, the favourable outcome for Young Africans means that their fans are presently in seventh heaven while Simba supporters are understandably crestfallen.

Young Africans’ razor-thin triumph over Simba also means that the league standings have significantly changed for local football’s two behemoths.

In the wake of their pulsating showdown, Young Africans have now climbed to second place on the league table while Simba are currently fourth on the standings.

Considering the intense rivalry between the two football outfits, the smart money is on both clubs running neck and neck in the race for the highly coveted league trophy.

Let us remain with the football theme and consider the sublime exploits of the Ngorongoro Heroes, who lately secured their qualification for the Under-20 AFCON in impressive fashion.

In fact, in spite of vying for top honours against the region’s premier under-20 football sides, the Heroes remained undeterred en-route to claiming a treasured berth at the upcoming Under-20 AFCON.

One hopes then that the Heroes will be able to leave a lasting positive impression at the forthcoming Under-20 AFCON, which shall feature a who’s who of the continent’s most exceptional teams at this level.

Speaking of impeccable teams, basketball fans will be laser-focused on the teams gunning for glory in the NBA’s new 2024-25 season, which is scheduled to get underway today.

Seeing as they are the reigning champions, the Boston Celtics will be under the scrutiny of fans and pundits alike following their outstanding victory in the NBA Finals last season.

On an individual level, African basketball devotees are likely to be inspired by the dazzling displays of the NBA’s abundant African-American hoops icons, who bowled over audiences at the Paris Olympics earlier this year.

Thus, if you are a die-hard basketball fan you should buckle up for what is likely to be a new and absolutely smashing NBA season.