ZFC Playoff Preview

With Chipolopolo crowned Zanzibar FC league champions, the attention now turns to the ZFC playoffs. Can anybody stop them from doing the double?

Chipolopolo

Installed as the bookies favourites, they’ll be going into the playoffs with a lot of confidence having won the league title.

Key Men:

• Jawad Janmohamed – Pacy striker with 22 goals this campaign, often compared to Ronaldo without the looks
• Hussein Walji – Came into the league after an injury to Adil Champsi, good footballing head and can control the game

One to Watch:

• Ali Manekia – Clinical finisher with 12 goals in his debut season

Indomitable Lions

The Lions will need to pick themselves up after missing out on the league title. Captain Feroz Mir knows what it takes to win the playoffs having won the JSA playoffs last year.

Key Men:

• Mohammed Chatoo – Notched a respectable 12 goals for a team that had the lowest goals scored for any team in the top 5
• Hassan Raza – Hard tackling no-nonsense defender

One to watch:

• Zaheer Rahim – Tricky winger came in as a late replacement for an injured player; performances getting better each week

Harambee Stars:

Pre-season favourites for the league title, but with too many trades disrupting the team they just fell short and will be looking for redemption in the playoffs.

Key Men:

• Mohammed Mahdi – Recovered from some off the field issues with this previous team to score 12 goals this campaign
• Mohamed Imran Amirali – Midfield maestro with a Steven Gerrard shooting from half-way complex

One to watch:

• Mohamed Railey – Signed just before the transfer deadline, Railey’s versatility makes him the Swiss Army Knife of footballers

Bafana Bafana

The entertainers of ZFC with a cavalier approach to the game that includes no defending; Bafana Bafana games yielded 6.3 goals per game, the highest in the league.

Key Men:

• Mohammed Mandan – Armed with a weekly hair-cut; bagged 19 goals this season and always a goal threat
• Sameer Hudda – 23 goal debut season for the 17 year-old; Skilled with both feet and good control in the air

One to watch:

• Abbas Rustom – A quiet season by his standards, but being traded to three teams hasn’t helped – look for a statement in the playoffs

Kakamega Homeboyz FC

Self destructed with 1 win in their final 8 leagues games; Kakamega will be looking to regain some pride.

Key men:

• Hisham Ali – Kakamega are a different team with Hisham in their lineup
• Mujeeb Sanjer – Faster than Usain Bolt, Sanjer can be a potent threat when he’s on his game

One to watch:

• Sajjad Sanjer – Rumours about his age didn’t help his season, but 7 goals show that he knows where the target it

Taifa Stars

Inconsistent season, but finished in style with a 3-0 win against Kakamega Homeboyz with only 6 players.

Key Men:

• Mustafa Rashid – With 14 goals and 10 man of the match awards in his debut season; Mustafa can be a game changer
• Hasanain Abbas – Veteran defender with six goals this season

One to watch:

• Hasanain Rashid – Hard-tackling nomad midfielder playing for this third club this season

Polisi Dodoma

With only 1 win in their final 7 games, Polisi will be looking for a cup run to end the season on a high.

Key Men:

• Mohamed Ali Chehade – Golden boot winner with 24 goals, Chehade is always a threat
• Zuhar Daya – Work horse midfielder with an eye for goal

One to watch:

• Zeeshan Janmohamed – Late signing for Polisi, quick feet and ability to glide past defenders

Gymkhana

They didn’t expect to make the playoffs and can play with no pressure a la Denmark in Euro 1992.

Key Men:

• Aqil Najafi – Rolling back the years with his performances this season; playing like it’s 1999
• Sunny Nanda – Tough tackling midfielder with an eye for goal

One to watch:

• Mahmood Kara – An aerial threat from corners and free-kicks